Help finding an old pension

COAQueen

I was talked into taking out a private pension when I was around 18/19, I opted out of SERPS and I have contacted HMRC and they have given me the name of the pension it was paid in to but not the company. I called the goverment pensions tracing and they gave me a number which is not active. I have contacted ReAssure who seem to have taken over Guardian pensions which my scheme name appears to be one of and they have quickly searched their system and came back saying they have no record of the pension. I am wondering if there is anything else I can do to get this pension as I am looking to track down and consolidate all my pensions. I have searched everywhere and can't find any paperwork to prove anything. If I do an HMRC subject access request and have the document showing the name of where the SERPS went can I use that to push the company to do a better search? Has anyone had this situation and managed to get their pension?

Marcon

I have contacted HMRC and they have given me the name of the pension it was paid in 

Please could you give the name of the pension. If you've got the full name, that normally identifies the provider. From the sound of it, you've got the name - Guardian - so not sure what else you're expecting when you say you weren't given the name of the company?

If I do an HMRC subject access request and have the document showing the name of where the SERPS went can I use that to push the company to do a better search?

Yes. Have a look at this (long!) thread and see my post of 15 May 2021:

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6267734/is-there-a-really-detailed-online-method-to-check-nics

But…be aware that the way in which charges operated back then could often erode the 'pot' completely, so there may be nothing to find if the only contributions going in were NI rebates - which if you were on a low salary, would have been extremely small. If you then took a job where you joined a contracted out pension scheme, the rebates would have stopped automatically so these might only have continued for a short while, meaning the pot only ever had a tiny amount in it.

GrumpyDil

Alternatively wait until the Govt's pension dashboard comes on line (supposedly later this year although don't hold your breath) and if you are lucky the pension will appear on it.

DRS1

@Marcon Just in case the OP tries the link in your old post do you have a more up to date one? That link gets you a page saying Form not found.

Marcon

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82043910#Comment_82043910

Thank you! OP, try https://www.gov.uk/guidance/hmrc-subject-access-request (which is a lot more complicated and long winded than the online form which was available until recently…).

Marcon

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82043901#Comment_82043901

The final connection deadline for schemes isn't until 31 October this year, so the dashboard is still some considerable way off and will be going through a lot of testing before it is operational and available for the general public to access.

It may in any case not help OP if, as I suspect, fees have already eaten up the original pot.