Tracing and transferring pensions

Do you have any ‘lost’ pensions?

Throughout your working life you may have different pensions with different employers. It's important to keep track of all the pension schemes you've paid into. This way, you can be sure you're claiming everything you're entitled to when you stop working.  

It can be tricky to stay on top of managing your pensions and it’s hard to know where to start when it comes to tracking down lost accounts. Thankfully, there’s help out there. 

The Pension Tracing Service is free and can help you track down old pensions you might have, even if you don’t have the details of the pension provider. Before getting in touch it’s useful to try and gather as much information as possible, such as: 

  • The name of your previous employer 
  • Any previous names it had 
  • The type of business it was 
  • Any changes of address 
  • When you were part of the pension scheme

    Please note that the service will only tell you the contact details of your old pension’s administrator – you’ll then need to contact them to find out if you have a pension with them, what the value is, and if it can be paid out.

Did you know you can transfer other pensions into the Schroders Retirement Benefits Scheme from elsewhere?

At any time during your employment with us you can transfer your money from another pension into the defined contribution (DC) section. We recommend contacting Aptia for further details. 

You may also transfer out of the defined benefit (DB) or DC sections into an alternative pension scheme. All transfers will be subject to the rules of the pension scheme you’re moving the money into.  

Please contact Aptia to get what is known as a transfer value (sometimes called a cash equivalent transfer value, or CETV). They can also advise on the timings involved regarding release and transfer of the funds.  

Before making any transfers – either into, or out of, the DB or DC section – we strongly recommend seeking guidance from an independent financial adviser to assess the risk involved, and to ensure you’re making the right choice for your current and future life plans. In fact, you’re required to take financial advice if you’re transferring DB pension benefits worth over £30,000.  

For help finding an adviser, take a look at our Guidance and advice section.