Tracing old pension

thecornflake

Hi,

I'm trying to trace a couple of old pensions from previous jobs, one from about 2003 - 2005 and the other 2006 - 2009. I've lost track of them because (my own fault) of not keeping up to date with address changes.
I've contacted the companies initially, who have no details and also the original pension companies who also had nothing. They've suggested various other companies they may have been moved to, also no luck there. I think I've contacted around 20 pension companies in the last year trying to find these (including ones suggested by the free tracing service website).

Not sure where to go from here, thinking about sending subject access requests to both just to see if anything useful comes up but it's unlikely.

Does anyone have any suggestions? I'm looking at a few thousand in lost pensions so not a small amount.

kidmugsy

thecornflake wrote: »

I'm looking at a few thousand in lost pensions so not a small amount.

I agree. I'm always puzzled by people who post here and talk about "small" pensions that seem a decent size to me.

Good luck with your search.

zolablue25

Does this help?
https://www.gov.uk/find-pension-contact-details

thecornflake

zolablue25 wrote: »

Does this help?
https://www.gov.uk/find-pension-contact-details

Hi, already been through that route and contacted every suggested company for the previous employers (and any those companies in turn suggested).

xylophone

Is there any chance that you were contracted out?

Have you obtained a new state pension statement? Is a COPE shown?

https://www.gov.uk/check-state-pension

Do you have any salary statements showing pension contributions for the years in question?

thecornflake

xylophone wrote: »

Is there any chance that you were contracted out?

Have you obtained a new state pension statement? Is a COPE shown?

https://www.gov.uk/check-state-pension

Do you have any salary statements showing pension contributions for the years in question?

Not that I know of but I might get a statement anyway. Is this the same as the NI credits statement?

thecornflake

Ok so I just checked that, it says I have been in a contracted out scheme. It says my COPE estimate is £4.78 a week. Not sure what that means, I'll have to do some reading up.

Would this help with tracing it at all?

xylophone

It is possible that the COPE relates to one or both of the missing pensions.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/state-pension-fact-sheets/contracting-out-and-why-we-may-have-included-a-contracted-out-pension-equivalent-cope-amount-when-you-used-the-online-service

I wonder whether it's worth an enquiry here

https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/hm-revenue-customs/contact/national-insurance-enquiries-for-employees-and-individuals