Finding an old pension

Argonauts

How do you find old pensions from the 1980’s
im sure I contributed to some pension schemes , worked at different places . Do I contact Hmrc

FrugaiMacDugal

You could try GOV.UK or Gretel..

Silvertabby

If you mean before April 1988, it's likely that you would have needed 5 years membership of each scheme in order to have accrued actual pension benefits.  Less than that, and you would have been offered a refund of your contributions on leaving.  

Albermarle

Also be aware of the big difference between DB ( Defined Benefit) and DC ( Defined Contribution) schemes, when looking into old pensions.

Marcon

Albermarle said:

Also be aware of the big difference between DB ( Defined Benefit) and DC ( Defined Contribution) schemes, when looking into old pensions.

Indeed - the major difference being that you are much less likely to find DC pensions dating back to the 1980s - most schemes were defined benefit (usually final salary).

Have a look at my post of 15 May 2021: https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6267734/is-there-a-really-detailed-online-method-to-check-nics/p1

It's a long thread but worth reading - if you were contributing to schemes in the 1980s, then it is highly likely they were final salary schemes which were contracted out of SERPS.

Silvertabby said:

If you mean before April 1988, it's likely that you would have needed 5 years membership of each scheme in order to have accrued actual pension benefits.  Less than that, and you would have been offered a refund of your contributions on leaving.  

In the private sector a refund wouldn't just have been 'offered' - it would have been paid without any other options.