October 27, 2026
Four forgotten pensions, almost £40,000 and a fresh perspective on retirement
After years of putting off tracing his old workplace pensions, a visit to a National Pension Tracing Day event gave 42 year old Kevin the motivation to finally start searching. What followed was the discovery of four pension pots worth almost £40,000, bringing a huge sense of relief and a fresh perspective on his financial future.
Like many people across the UK, Kevin had spent years contributing to workplace pensions without keeping track of what happened to them when he changed jobs.
Now 42, Kevin lives in Surrey with his wife and daughter and works as a Senior Facilities Manager at ACS International School in Cobham.
With a busy career, family responsibilities and the everyday pressures of running a household, reviewing old workplace pensions had never been particularly high on his list of priorities.
He knew he’d contributed to several pension schemes throughout his working life, but over time, he’d lost touch with the providers looking after his savings.
After changing jobs and moving house multiple times, pension statements had stopped arriving, paperwork was no longer to hand and he couldn’t remember which providers held his money.
He knew the pensions were there, but what he didn’t know was exactly how much he’d accumulated and for years, he kept putting off finding out.
A task that always seemed more complicated than it was
For Kevin, the biggest barrier to tracing his pensions wasn’t a lack of interest in his retirement. It was the thought of how much time and effort finding them might involve.
Without knowing the names of his previous pension providers, he assumed it would be a lengthy process involving old employers, missing paperwork and numerous phone calls.
“I knew I had pensions from previous jobs, but I couldn’t remember who the providers were. After moving house a few times, I’d stopped receiving statements, and unfortunately, they weren’t something I’d thought to keep hold of at the time.”
“I’d convinced myself it would be a long and complicated process, especially without knowing who the providers were. It was something I knew I should do, but I kept putting it off because I thought it would take ages to sort out.”
It was a familiar situation. The longer Kevin left it, the more complicated the task seemed in his mind.
But in October 2026, a visit to Bluewater shopping centre provided the reminder he needed.
The reminder that started the search
On 3rd October 2026, National Pension Tracing Day brought its Licence to Trace campaign to Bluewater in Kent.
The event encouraged members of the public to think about their old workplace pensions, understand the importance of keeping track of retirement savings and take the first steps towards finding pensions they’d lost touch with.
For Kevin, it was the motivation he’d been missing.
“Seeing the National Pension Tracing Day event at Bluewater was the reminder I needed to finally take action. I’d been meaning to look into my old pensions for years, and I’m so glad I finally did.”
Following the event, Kevin decided to spend some time looking into his pension history.
As part of his search, he used the MoneyHelper Pensions Dashboard, a new government backed service currently being developed and tested by the Money and Pensions Service (MaPS).
The dashboard is designed to help people see their pensions together in one place, including their State Pension, giving them a clearer understanding of what they’ve saved and what those pensions could be worth in retirement.
For Kevin, having access to a tool that could help him identify and understand his existing pensions made the process feel much more manageable.
“Once I actually started looking, I realised I’d made it into a much bigger task in my head than it needed to be. I was surprised by how straightforward it was, and I wish I’d done it years ago.”
What he discovered was considerably more than he’d expected.
Four pensions and an almost £40,000 discovery
Kevin’s search identified four pension pots from previous employers, held across three pension providers: Aviva, Fidelity and Legal & General.
Together, they were worth £38,204.95.
His largest pension, held with Fidelity through his previous employer, was valued at £29,626.96.
Although Kevin knew he’d contributed a reasonable amount during his time with the company, he hadn’t realised how much the pension had grown.
“I knew I’d built up a fair amount with that employer, but I was genuinely surprised to discover it had reached almost £30,000. It actually made me feel quite proud of the contributions I’d made over the years and to see what they’d amounted to.”
Alongside the four pensions he’d rediscovered, Kevin also had his current workplace pension.
Together, his five pension pots represented more than £40,000 in identified retirement savings.
Kevin’s pension discovery
- 4 previous workplace pensions traced
- £38,204.95 in pension savings rediscovered
- £29,626.96 in his largest pension pot
For Kevin, the discovery was about much more than the figures.
While the money had always belonged to him, he’d never had a complete picture of what he’d built up throughout his career.
Finally knowing where his pensions were and how much they were worth brought an enormous sense of relief.
“It was a massive relief, to be honest. I knew I had pensions out there, but I didn’t have a clear picture of what they were worth. Finding almost £40,000 was an incredible feeling.”
“More than anything, it’s reassuring to finally know where everything is and how much I’ve built up over the years. It’s given me a much clearer understanding of my retirement savings.”
And perhaps most importantly, it has changed the way Kevin thinks about saving for the future.
Finding the balance between today and tomorrow
For Kevin and his family, planning for retirement has to sit alongside the financial realities of everyday life.
He and his wife both work full time and have a daughter with additional needs, bringing extra demands on their time and household finances.
Like many working families, they’re conscious of the cost of living and the challenge of balancing immediate expenses with longer term financial goals.
“My wife and I both work full time, and we have a daughter with additional needs, so balancing work, family life and everything that comes with that can be challenging, both practically and financially.”
“When you’re managing everyday expenses, bills and everything else life throws at you, it’s easy to look at the money going into your pension each month and think how useful that could be right now.”
It’s a feeling many households will recognise.
When you’re focused on managing monthly bills, family commitments and unexpected expenses, retirement can feel like something to think about further down the line.
But for Kevin, rediscovering his old pensions has helped put those monthly contributions into perspective.
“Seeing what those contributions have built up to over the years has made me appreciate their value and why it’s important to keep saving for the future.”
“I think it’s easy to get caught up in the day to day and focus on getting through one month to the next, but retirement will come around eventually, whether we’re prepared for it or not.”
Knowing what he’s already accumulated has helped Kevin feel more positive about the years ahead.
And with around two decades of working life still ahead of him, he’s increasingly aware of the difference his decisions today could make to his future.
A clearer picture and a new approach to retirement
At 42, Kevin estimates he has around another 20 years of working life ahead of him.
Although retirement is still some way off, he admits it no longer feels like the distant prospect it once did.
“I’m 42 now, and retirement doesn’t feel like such a distant thought anymore. I’ve still got around 20 years of working life ahead of me, so knowing what I’ve already built up and having time to continue contributing makes me feel really positive about the future.”
Since tracing his old pensions, Kevin has already increased his monthly pension contributions.
Having a clearer understanding of his existing savings has encouraged him to think more carefully about what he’s putting away and how those contributions could support him in retirement.
“Having a clearer picture of what I’ve already saved has made me think much more seriously about what I’m putting away each month and what those contributions could mean for my future.”
He’s also planning to review his existing pension schemes and consider whether consolidating some of his smaller pots into his current workplace pension would make them easier to manage.
Before making any changes, he’ll need to consider the charges, benefits and any guarantees associated with each scheme.
For Kevin, the experience has encouraged him to take a more active interest in his retirement planning.
“I don’t think it’s necessarily changed when I’d like to retire, but it’s definitely changed how I think about getting there.”
“For me, the biggest difference is having that clarity. Rather than having a vague idea of what my retirement savings might look like, I can now start making more informed decisions about the future.”
While pension values can rise and fall, knowing what he has already accumulated gives Kevin a clearer starting point for planning the retirement he wants.
From tracing his own pensions to encouraging others
Kevin’s experience has also changed the way he talks about pensions.
Having explored the National Pension Tracing Day campaign and learnt more about how pension tracing works, he now feels more confident discussing retirement savings with friends and family.
He’s also keen to encourage others who may have lost touch with pensions from previous employers to take the first step.
“One thing I’ve really taken away from this experience is a better understanding of pensions in general. I’ve learnt a lot through exploring the campaign, and I feel much more confident talking about pensions with friends and family now.”
For anyone who has changed jobs several times, moved house or simply hasn’t looked at their old pension paperwork in years, Kevin’s advice is straightforward.
“Don’t keep putting it off like I did! I think it’s easy to assume that pensions from previous jobs aren’t worth very much, especially if you were only with an employer for a few years, but you might be surprised by what’s sitting there.”
He encourages people to start by thinking back through their previous employers, gathering whatever information they can remember and exploring the free resources available to help trace old pensions.
And while not everyone will uncover tens of thousands of pounds, the value of knowing where your savings are shouldn’t be underestimated.
“I think the biggest thing I’ve learnt is that it doesn’t have to be as difficult as you imagine. Once I actually started, I was surprised by how straightforward it was.”
“If sharing my experience encourages even one person to look into their old pensions, I’d be really pleased. I certainly wish someone had given me that push a few years ago!”
Could you have pensions you’ve lost track of?
Kevin’s experience is a reminder of how easily workplace pensions can slip off our radar.
Changing jobs, moving house and losing touch with previous employers can all make it harder to keep track of retirement savings.
And while those pensions remain yours, losing contact with providers can mean missing important information about your savings and how they’re performing.
National Pension Tracing Day encourages people across the UK to take time to reconnect with old workplace pensions and build a clearer picture of their financial future.
Whether you think you have one old pension or several, taking the first step could be simpler than you expect.
Explore the MoneyHelper Pensions Dashboard
The MoneyHelper Pensions Dashboard is a new government backed service being developed by the Money and Pensions Service (MaPS).
It is designed to bring information about your pensions together in one place, helping you understand what you’ve already saved, identify pensions you may have lost track of and see what your savings could be worth in retirement.
The dashboard is currently in a testing phase, and people are being invited to try the service before its wider public launch.
By joining the research panel, you can gain early access to the dashboard and help shape how the service develops.
As the dashboard is still being improved, some pensions may not appear in your results.
Interested in seeing your pensions together in one place?
Find out more about the MoneyHelper Pensions Dashboard and how to take part in the research panel.
CTA BUTTON: Explore the MoneyHelper Pensions Dashboard
Your pension tracing mission starts here
You don’t need to wait for the wider launch of pensions dashboards to begin searching for old pensions.
The government’s free Pension Tracing Service can help you find contact details for previous workplace and personal pension schemes using the name of an employer or pension provider.
Once you’ve identified a provider, you can contact them directly to establish whether you have a pension and find out what it might be worth.
National Pension Tracing Day also provides free guidance and practical resources to help you get started.
Kevin’s story shows why taking the time to reconnect with old pensions can be worthwhile, even when you think you already have a reasonable idea of what you’ve saved.
You may not uncover the same amount, but understanding what you already have could help you make more informed decisions about your financial future.
Ready to start your search?
Explore the free resources available through National Pension Tracing Day and take the first step towards reconnecting with your retirement savings.
