How do I combine several pension pots? Total beginner here

Lyd00

Hello,
I'm 32 and began working aged 18. I've had many jobs and have always opted in to a workplace pension scheme. The trouble is, i've never kept track of them, and have no idea who some of the pensions are with (I can remember Scottish Widows for some of them, and NEST I think for some others, I also worked for the NHS for 3 years so I have one with them). The question is, how do I find them all (I should be able to dig paperwork out from my parents house) and how do I combine them all? 
Many thanks

YBR

Do you have a record of all your previous employers and dates to start with? This will give you a place to start firstly as a checklist of how many you need to trace, and secondly by asking the ex-employers for details of the pension scheme/provider on those dates. Any where you can't get information from the former employer, try the Pension Tracing Service.

Once you have reconnected with all the pensions and have access to the details again, then you can decide whether combining them is feasible, and good thing or not. It may not be feasible to transfer funds from any final salary schemes.

Lyd00

Ok thank you, I'll start a list and try and remember them all, check all the paperwork I can find, and go from there. I doubt there'll be much in any of them.

xylophone

 I also worked for the NHS for 3 years so I have one with them).

A deferred defined benefit pension from a non funded public service pension scheme - you would not be permitted to transfer out to a scheme offering flexible benefits (basically any defined contribution/money purchase scheme like a personal pension or SIPP or stakeholder.

With regard to any defined contribution pensions you may have, it may be possible to transfer to a new DC scheme or your current provider might accept a transfer in.

squirrelpie

Apart from your immediate goal, consider this a reminder that it's sensible to keep all your old payslips (or at least the P60s) in a box somewhere, precisely so you have some evidence if you need to check anything in future.

If you're very patient you could wait for a year or two, or ten, until the shiny new pensions dashboard becomes available and then you can find the answer online

Marcon

Lyd00 said:

Hello,
I'm 32 and began working aged 18. I've had many jobs and have always opted in to a workplace pension scheme. The trouble is, i've never kept track of them, and have no idea who some of the pensions are with (I can remember Scottish Widows for some of them, and NEST I think for some others, I also worked for the NHS for 3 years so I have one with them). The question is, how do I find them all (I should be able to dig paperwork out from my parents house) and how do I combine them all? 
Many thanks

The good news is that given your young age, the hopelessly delayed Pensions Dashboard should be up and running by the time you reach the age at which you can access your pensions! That will, in theory, provide all the info you need to track down any pensions you might have had during your working career.

It's still worth doing a bit of tracking down now, not least to ensure all providers have up to date contact details for you.

There's no urgency to combine your pensions. Helpful reading: https://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/pensions/article-3550085/STEVE-WEBB-merge-small-pension-pots.html

Lyd00

Oh brilliant, I've never heard of this pension dashboard before. It's much needed! I'm absolutely clueless when it comes to pensions, I need a crash course. All I know is I've always paid into one 

MallyGirl

Always paying in is a very good start.
Once you track them all down compile a list with provider, current value, investments selected (even if by default), fees. Make sure they all have your current address.
You can then do some research to see if they are in the right place with the right investments selected. If the values are very small it will probably make sense to combine them in some way but don't jump in till you know what you have got.

Marcon

Lyd00 said:

Oh brilliant, I've never heard of this pension dashboard before. It's much needed! I'm absolutely clueless when it comes to pensions, I need a crash course. All I know is I've always paid into one 

More info: https://www.pensionsdashboardsprogramme.org.uk/

Albermarle

Lyd00 said:

Oh brilliant, I've never heard of this pension dashboard before. It's much needed! I'm absolutely clueless when it comes to pensions, I need a crash course. All I know is I've always paid into one 

Pensions: Everything you need to know for retirement - MSE (moneysavingexpert.com)

Pensions and retirement | Help with pensions and retirement | MoneyHelper