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22/10/2026
Author: Editorial
<div>Sunday 25 October is <a href="https://nationalpensiontracingday.co.uk/" target="_blank" data-sf-ec-immutable="">National Pension Tracing Day</a>, and we’re calling on you to accept a mission that could make a real difference to your retirement. Think of yourself as a pension-tracing agent with a mission to track down any pensions you may have lost.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>It’s a mission worth taking seriously. Around 3 million pension pots across the UK are thought to be lost or forgotten, with an average value of £6,220 each. That’s more than £18.7 billion waiting to be reunited with its owners.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><p>Paperwork gets misplaced, jobs change and addresses get updated. It’s easy to lose track of old pensions. The good thing is you don’t need to be a financial expert to track them down. All you need is a bit of time and a clear process.&nbsp;</p><h5><span style="background-color: initial; font-size: inherit; text-align: inherit; text-transform: inherit; word-spacing: normal; caret-color: auto; white-space: inherit">How do you find a lost pension?&nbsp;</span></h5><div><div><ol><li data-leveltext="%1." data-font="" data-listid="39" data-list-defn-props="{" data-aria-posinset="1" data-aria-level="1"><p><strong>Retrace your career:</strong>&nbsp;</p><p>List all the places you’ve worked in the past and roughly how long you worked there. Old CVs, payslips, P45s or P60s may help you.&nbsp;</p></li></ol></div><div><ol start="2"><li data-leveltext="%1." data-font="" data-listid="39" data-list-defn-props="{" data-aria-posinset="2" data-aria-level="1"><p><strong>Search your records:</strong></p><p>Go through old paperwork and see if you have any pension statements from previous employers.&nbsp;</p></li></ol></div><div><ol start="3"><li data-leveltext="%1." data-font="" data-listid="39" data-list-defn-props="{" data-aria-posinset="3" data-aria-level="1"><p><strong>Sense check:&nbsp;</strong></p><p>Get in touch with the provider or administrator and make sure your contact details are up to date for each pension you’ve got.&nbsp;</p></li></ol></div></div><div><div><ol start="4"><li data-leveltext="%1." data-font="" data-listid="39" data-list-defn-props="{" data-aria-posinset="4" data-aria-level="1"><p><strong>Check for gaps:&nbsp;</strong></p><p>If you’ve spotted any gaps in your pension history, you’ll need to contact the employer’s HR department or use the <a data-sf-ec-immutable="" href="https://www.gov.uk/find-pension-contact-details" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">government’s free Pension Tracing Service</a>. Some companies offer a similar tracing service, but many charge a fee.&nbsp;</p></li></ol></div><div><ol start="5"><li data-leveltext="%1." data-font="" data-listid="39" data-list-defn-props="{" data-aria-posinset="5" data-aria-level="1"><p><strong>Get in touch:&nbsp;</strong></p><p>Contact the pension provider or administrator to check if they’ve got any record of a pension for you. You’ll need your National Insurance number and possibly other details too.&nbsp;</p></li></ol><div style="margin-left: 60px">If they do, and you didn’t transfer your pension pot out to another pension:&nbsp;</div><ul style="margin-left: 60px"><li>Find out how much is in the pot and ask for an up-to-date statement.</li><li>Update your contact details. </li><li>See if you can register for online access to your pension.&nbsp;</li></ul><h5>How do I keep track of my RPS Pension?&nbsp;</h5><p>Keep track of your RPS pension by <a href="https://www.btppensions.co.uk/login" target="_blank" data-sf-ec-immutable="">logging into your myRPS account </a>and checking the details we have are up to date.&nbsp;</p><p>For more tips on tracing your lost pensions, visit the <a href="https://nationalpensiontracingday.co.uk/" target="_blank" data-sf-ec-immutable="">National Pension Tracing Day website</a>. Accept your #LicenceToTrace and see what you could uncover.&nbsp;</p><h5>Why should you trace lost pensions?</h5></div></div><div>Here are a few of the reasons to trace your lost pension:&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><ul><li>You may have more saved than you originally thought.&nbsp;</li><li>You can update your contact details. This means your pension provider can send you important information and updates going forward.&nbsp;</li><li>You can check to see if your <a data-sf-marked="" data-sf-ec-immutable="" target="_blank" href="https://www.railwayspensions.co.uk/pension-essentials/nominations">nomination</a> is up to date.</li><li>You can find out more about your options, whether any of your pension savings are still invested, and whether you have a say in how those funds are invested.&nbsp;</li></ul><h5>What should you do once you’ve found your lost pension?&nbsp;<br></h5><div>Use this new information to build a clearer picture of your savings and identify any changes you can make.&nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>Use the <a href="https://www.railwayspensions.co.uk/knowledge-hub/help-and-support/retirement-budgeting-calculator" target="_blank" data-sf-ec-immutable="">Retirement Budgeting Calculator</a> as a guide for how much you’ll need to save for the life you want after work.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><h5>Get financial advice&nbsp;<br></h5><div>Speak to an independent financial adviser for guidance. Liverpool Victoria (LV) has been chosen as the official partner to give RPS members access to financial advice. LV can be contacted on 0800 023 4187. This service is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.&nbsp;</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>You can also visit <a href="https://www.moneyhelper.org.uk/en" target="_blank" data-sf-ec-immutable="">MoneyHelper</a> for free, impartial advice backed by the government.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div>
Blog

Your mission: Find your lost pension

There’s an estimated £18.7 billion in missing pensions in the UK. Could some of that be yours?
Sunday 25 October is National Pension Tracing Day, and we’re calling on you to accept a mission that could make a real difference to your retirement. Think of yourself as a pension-tracing agent with a mission to track down any pensions you may have lost. 

It’s a mission worth taking seriously. Around 3 million pension pots across the UK are thought to be lost or forgotten, with an average value of £6,220 each. That’s more than £18.7 billion waiting to be reunited with its owners. 

Paperwork gets misplaced, jobs change and addresses get updated. It’s easy to lose track of old pensions. The good thing is you don’t need to be a financial expert to track them down. All you need is a bit of time and a clear process. 

How do you find a lost pension? 

  1. Retrace your career: 

    List all the places you’ve worked in the past and roughly how long you worked there. Old CVs, payslips, P45s or P60s may help you. 

  1. Search your records:

    Go through old paperwork and see if you have any pension statements from previous employers. 

  1. Sense check: 

    Get in touch with the provider or administrator and make sure your contact details are up to date for each pension you’ve got. 

  1. Check for gaps: 

    If you’ve spotted any gaps in your pension history, you’ll need to contact the employer’s HR department or use the government’s free Pension Tracing Service. Some companies offer a similar tracing service, but many charge a fee. 

  1. Get in touch: 

    Contact the pension provider or administrator to check if they’ve got any record of a pension for you. You’ll need your National Insurance number and possibly other details too. 

If they do, and you didn’t transfer your pension pot out to another pension: 
  • Find out how much is in the pot and ask for an up-to-date statement.
  • Update your contact details.
  • See if you can register for online access to your pension. 
How do I keep track of my RPS Pension? 

Keep track of your RPS pension by logging into your myRPS account and checking the details we have are up to date. 

For more tips on tracing your lost pensions, visit the National Pension Tracing Day website. Accept your #LicenceToTrace and see what you could uncover. 

Why should you trace lost pensions?
Here are a few of the reasons to trace your lost pension: 

  • You may have more saved than you originally thought. 
  • You can update your contact details. This means your pension provider can send you important information and updates going forward. 
  • You can check to see if your nomination is up to date.
  • You can find out more about your options, whether any of your pension savings are still invested, and whether you have a say in how those funds are invested. 
What should you do once you’ve found your lost pension? 
Use this new information to build a clearer picture of your savings and identify any changes you can make.  

Use the Retirement Budgeting Calculator as a guide for how much you’ll need to save for the life you want after work. 

Get financial advice 
Speak to an independent financial adviser for guidance. Liverpool Victoria (LV) has been chosen as the official partner to give RPS members access to financial advice. LV can be contacted on 0800 023 4187. This service is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. 
 
You can also visit MoneyHelper for free, impartial advice backed by the government. 

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