Business · Economy · 3 hrs ago
More than three million UK pension pots are estimated to be lost
More than three million UK pension pots are estimated to be lost, with an average value of about £6,000.
A pot is counted as lost when its provider cannot contact its owner.
About 2.5 million of the lost pots belong to people under 55.
People can lose track of workplace pensions when they change jobs and leave old accounts behind.
These savings could add to retirement income, and the average pot for people aged 55 to 74 is about £10,710.
The Money and Pensions Service is developing a dashboard expected to launch in the 2027-28 financial year, showing a person’s pensions in one place, including accounts they may have lost touch with.
People can also use existing pension tracing services, but combining accounts may not suit everyone because some older pensions have valuable guarantees.
More than three million UK pension pots, worth an average of around £6,000 each, are estimated to be lost, according to research by the Pensions Policy Institute.
Around 2.5 million of the lost pots are thought to belong to people aged under 55.
The research defines a lost pension as one whose provider is unable to contact its owner.
Women’s lost pots average around £5,370, compared with £6,830 for men.
The Money and Pensions Service says its planned pensions dashboard could help people find pots they have lost track of.
- Who
- UK pension savers whose providers are unable to contact them.
- What
- More than three million pension pots are estimated to be lost, with an average value of around £6,000.
- When
- The research was reported on October 11, 2026.
- Where
- The United Kingdom.
- Why
- People may lose track of old workplace pensions as they move jobs.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
lost pension pots remain a significant issue for savers, providers and policymakers.
With around 2.5 million lost pensions belonging to people aged under 55, there is a need to ensure no one is missing savings for the retirement they want.
But as people move jobs throughout their working lives, they often leave old workplace pensions behind, and over time it’s easy to lose track of them.
The Evening Standard reported estimates from Pensions Policy Institute research that more than three million UK pension pots are lost.
National Pensions Tracing Day is due to take place.
The Money and Pensions Service expects to launch its MoneyHelper Pensions Dashboard.
- Estimated lost pots
- More than 3 million
- Average value
- Around £6,000
- Lost pots held by people under 55
- Around 2.5 million
- Average pot for people under 55
- £5,250
- Average pot for people aged 55 to 74
- £10,710
- Women’s average lost pot
- Around £5,370; men’s average is £6,830
Sources
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