Finding old pension info

Diddums · 16 Nov 2020 at 19:24

I know right? As far as exciting topics go, this one is akin to walking in to TGI Fridays and asking for a mixed leaf salad and a glass of water because you're that shy chick with no norks and don't want to come across greedy whilst your date is sizing you up and thinking of all the unspeakable things...

Ah sorry, pensions. I worked for a company once. Well, I've worked for many, but for the sake of it this thread, I only need to involve two of them. I'm consolidating my pension pots using that Pensionbee thing they have now, and am missing info from two companies. I attempted to make contact with these people today, one pretty much said "lol no, records for 7 years only KEK" and that was that. I asked if they could at least provide me the company's name so I could dig it out myself, haven't heard back yet.

The other can't even be arsed answering the phone, probably gonna blame it on Covid or Brexit or whatever term is in vogue nowadays.

Is there a way to retrieve this info? If not, meh, I'll hafta find another way to make it up.

Cheerio champs

Martynt74 · 16 Nov 2020 at 19:41

Wait for any annual statements?

or have you moved since?

fezster · 16 Nov 2020 at 19:45

There's a free service to locate any pensions you may have. They locate using your NI number.

I believe its The Pension Advisory Service: https://www.gov.uk/pensions-advisory-service, but I used it many years ago, so could be wrong.

Stu999 · 16 Nov 2020 at 19:46

Dunno if this will help? https://www.gov.uk/find-pension-contact-details

Quartz · 16 Nov 2020 at 19:49

Diddums said:
I attempted to make contact with these people today, one pretty much said "lol no, records for 7 years only KEK"

Write a letter to one of the directors. Approaches about this sort of thing are best done in writing. Beyond that @fezster's link is almost there. It's https://www.pensionsadvisoryservice.org.uk/my-pension/online-tools?moreInfo=1

Dis86 · 16 Nov 2020 at 19:57

What a crap tool!

tom_e · 16 Nov 2020 at 20:37

Dis86 said:
What a crap tool!

You can't say that about diddums...he's a great big tool!

Diddums · 19 Nov 2020 at 20:17

tom_e said:
You can't say that about diddums...he's a great big tool!

You love my great big tool :cool:

Anyway. One employer has basically stuck their fingers in their ears and gone nananana lololol so not getting anywhere with them. We're moving house soon so we'll unearth all the papers stashed away in drawers and stuff so hopefully it turns up, otherwise that's two years of pension down the khazi.

Still need to contact the other one, will probably do so tomorrow if I have a bit of time.

Cheers for the help yous guise, muchos appreciados and stuff <3

Quartz · 19 Nov 2020 at 20:57

Diddums said:
One employer has basically stuck their fingers in their ears and gone nananana lololol so not getting anywhere with them.

Hie thee to the Citizens Advice Bureau.

booyaka · 19 Nov 2020 at 21:29

https://www.pensiontracingservice.com/

Deleted member 77746 · 19 Nov 2020 at 21:30

The problem people have now is if you have 5+ jobs you could easy have 5+ pension pots from different pension providers. Depends how many jobs you have and who they are with. Not good if you don't keep letters or emails from them. Could end up with thousands and thousands of lost pennies.

Dis86 · 19 Nov 2020 at 21:43

@Diddums let me know if you have any success. Likewise I'll do the same

Hagar · 19 Nov 2020 at 22:39

Before I retired three years ago I contacted all my old employers. The first one was Lloyds Bank (the old one) where I worked for six months in 1972.
They told me that I was entitled to a pension but the scheme at the time had been deferred for many years and my entitlement was negligible. I had a take home of £48 per monthwhen i worked there as a clerk. They offered me a final settlement of £20 but to claim it I had to provide them with all my current details and the payment would be taxable. I did not bother replying so that is wallowing around the banking system somewhere.

SideWinder · 19 Nov 2020 at 23:16

Moneybox have released this service i believe!

moon man · 20 Nov 2020 at 11:18

I spent a. Full day tracking idown lost pensions but still Havnt decided what to do with them, pretty much decided on a drawdown as only 70k or so from them, but then covid came along, have a big chunk with aviva in property and I think unit selling was suspended on them.
Pensionbee has also crossed my mind but again I've done. Nothing about it!!

Hagar · 20 Nov 2020 at 11:35

moon man said:
I spent a. Full day tracking idown lost pensions but still Havnt decided what to do with them, pretty much decided on a drawdown as only 70k or so from them, but then covid came along, have a big chunk with aviva in property and I think unit selling was suspended on them.
Pensionbee has also crossed my mind but again I've done. Nothing about it!!

I had about 80k which was not my main pension, I did consider drawdown with it but eventually went with an annuity from Aviva paying 3.8k per annum on joint lives. My wife, aged 60 when we took it out stands the better chance of making a slight profit from it.

rubberduck · 20 Nov 2020 at 11:46

Government has been talking about implementing pension dashboards as part of the gov.
gateway service for a while, I understand it is still going ahead. Maybe it will eventually come to something in 2022.

Bounce · 20 Nov 2020 at 14:50

@Diddums who did you use to consolidate?

Diddums · 20 Nov 2020 at 15:00

Bounce said:
@Diddums who did you use to consolidate?

Pensionbee mate. Still waiting for it all to finalize and I'm still hunting down the deets from two other former employers but it's not an urgent thing at the moment, I'll get to it eventually

moon man · 20 Nov 2020 at 16:29

Hagar said:
I had about 80k which was not my main pension, I did consider drawdown with it but eventually went with an annuity from Aviva paying 3.8k per annum on joint lives. My wife, aged 60 when we took it out stands the better chance of making a slight profit from it.

Seems like a decent amount , I don't have a decent pension but bigger lumps would suit me better ,next door built a wood house in garden with full residential so that would be good or joining outbuildings on to house ,loft conversion ect (100k house ,bought not too long ago ,annoys folks in boomer thread

)
I know tax can be an issue ,but one has a 40 percent tax free allowance a section 32 or something but is cashable (,yes I'm a little clueless about subject and many others )