You'll see the phrase "find and combine pensions" appear most often in two contexts: (1) in UK Government communications about the planned Pensions Dashboard programme, and (2) in pension tracing service marketing. They describe slightly different things. This guide explains what each one actually is, how the process works in practice today, and what to expect when (if) the Dashboard goes live.
In plain English: find every pension you have, then combine the ones that make sense to consolidate into a single plan.
The two halves are different services:
Finding is information-gathering — using your details (name, DOB, NI number, work history) to identify every UK pension scheme that holds money on your behalf
Combining is execution — initiating transfers from each existing provider into a single destination plan
In the UK today, these are typically separate steps run via separate organisations or processes. The planned Pensions Dashboard aims to bring them under one roof at some point in future.
The Pensions Dashboard programme is a Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) initiative to build a UK-wide online service where every adult can:
See every pension in their name — State, workplace, and personal — in a single online dashboard
Indexed by personal details rather than employer name (i.e. without you having to know which employer goes with which scheme)
Eventually with the option to initiate consolidation directly from the dashboard
The dashboard's find half — bringing all pension records into one indexed view — is the genuinely transformative bit. The combine half is a future iteration of the service.
At the time of writing the consumer-facing Pensions Dashboard isn't yet live to the general public. The programme has been running for several years with multiple delays as schemes work to integrate their data. The DWP has been issuing staged-connection deadlines for the largest pension schemes, with public launch targeted for after that integration completes.
In the meantime, the practical "find and combine" route remains: a multi-source trace, followed by a separate consolidation step.
Without the Dashboard, the working version is:
Government records — State Pension forecast (DWP, NI-indexed) and contracted-out SERPS records (HMRC, NI-indexed)
Provider records — each individual pension scheme administrator, looked up by employer name via the free gov.uk/find-pension-contact-details tool, then contacted directly
Your own paperwork — old payslips, P60s, joiner packs, annual benefit statements, bank statements
Once you've found everything:
Get a current valuation and benefits sheet for each pot
Decide which pots to consolidate and which to leave alone
Open a destination plan (or have one opened on your behalf via a regulated adviser)
Initiate transfers via the Origo Options electronic system used between most major UK providers
Verify each pot lands and re-submit beneficiary nominations
A regulated end-to-end service runs both halves on your behalf — see How to Combine Pensions for the full step-by-step.
A regulated UK tracing-and-consolidation service does both halves of "find and combine" end-to-end:
Contacts HMRC, the DWP, every relevant provider, scheme trustee and former employer to identify every pension in your name
Returns a single document with current valuations and benefits for each pot
A regulated adviser reviews whether consolidation is right for your situation
Where consolidation is the right call, the service runs the transfers via Origo and tracks each one through to landing
The Pension Tracing Service® has been doing this since 2012 (FCA number 914746). The model:
Free to find every pension in your name
Free review by our regulated advisers
A one-off 1% fee only if you decide to consolidate
0.82–0.86% annual management on the new plan
No fee if we don't find anything, or if we can't improve on what you have
Find and combine my pensions →
A quick comparison:
gov.uk/find-pension-contact-details — find only. Free directory of UK pension scheme administrators, searched by employer name. Returns contact details — you do the actual chasing yourself
gov.uk/check-state-pension — find only, State Pension only. Free
HMRC NI Office (BX9 1AN) — find only, contracted-out SERPS records. Free
The Pensions Dashboard (when live) — find (in one place) + combine (in future iterations). Free
Regulated tracing service (e.g. PTS) — find + combine end-to-end today. Tracing free; 1% consolidation fee on transferred value
DIY consolidation — open a SIPP yourself and request inbound transfers — combine only. Free at transfer
For a deeper compare of the gov.uk tools vs PTS specifically see Gov.UK Pension Tracing vs The Pension Tracing Service®.
Find every UK pension in your name (State, workplace, personal), then combine the ones that make sense to consolidate into a single plan. The two halves are different services in the UK today — the planned Pensions Dashboard aims to bring them together in future.
The UK Government's planned Pensions Dashboard programme will eventually offer a "find and combine" service for free. At the time of writing it isn't yet live to the public. The existing free gov.uk tools (Find Pension Contact Details + Check State Pension) cover the find half only.
The Pensions Dashboard programme has been running for several years with staged scheme-connection deadlines. A public launch is targeted for after the integration phase completes. The DWP publishes updates at gov.uk on the programme's progress.
The find half is free via gov.uk tools (and via PTS, which charges nothing for tracing or review). The combine half is free if you DIY (most platforms accept inbound transfers free of charge). A regulated end-to-end service typically charges a one-off ~1% of consolidated value.
Regulated UK tracing-and-consolidation services. The Pension Tracing Service® is one such firm — FCA number 914746, trading since 2012. We trace and review for free; we charge 1% only if you go ahead with consolidation.
No. The Pension Tracing Service® is a private, FCA-authorised firm (FCA number 914746). The UK Government runs separate free tools at gov.uk. The two are not affiliated.
Find: a few days (with a tracing service) to a few weeks (DIY). Combine: 8–12 weeks end-to-end for a 4–5 pot consolidation. Total typical timeline: 2–4 months from start to a single landed plan.
Yes — that's the most common reason to consolidate. Each old workplace DC pension can be transferred into a single destination plan. See How to Combine Pensions.
Pension Tracing Service® runs both halves end-to-end. Sign up with name, DOB, NI number and rough work history; we'll do the rest.
You can also request contact details from the Pension Tracing Service by phone or by post.
The Pension Tracing Service
Telephone: 0800 1223 170
From outside the UK: +44 (0) 1782 389134
Monday to Friday, 9:30 am to 5:00 pm
Address
The Pension Tracing Service
The Lantern
High Street
Ilfracombe
EX34 9QB
Copyright 2026 by Pension Tracing Service®
The Pension Tracing Service® is a trading style of Millennial Wealth Ltd. We are authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA number 914746). Pinnacle House, 34 Newark Road, Peterborough, PE1 5YD. Registered company number 11557299.
Profile Pensions is a trading name of Profile Financial Solutions Ltd, authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA number 596398). Registered office: Norwest Court, Guildhall Street, Preston, PR1 3NU.
This service is not affiliated with the Department for Work and Pensions or any government body. When you click to get started, you'll be taken to Profile Pensions to complete your sign-up and begin the Find, Check & Transfer service. Capital at risk: the value of investments can go down as well as up and you may get back less than you put in. Past performance is not a guide to future performance. Tax treatment depends on your individual circumstances and may change.
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