Forgotten money checks 💷

What is “forgotten money”?

“Forgotten money” usually refers to financial products you once had, but no longer actively manage or remember.

This can include:

• lost workplace or personal pensions
• old bank or building society accounts
• forgotten savings accounts
• investment accounts you’ve lost track of

In many cases, the money is still yours — you just need to locate it.

Forgotten pensions (the most common one)

Lost pensions are incredibly common, especially if you:

• changed jobs regularly
• were auto-enrolled into workplace pensions
• worked for multiple employers over the years

Even small pension pots can grow over time, so it’s always worth checking.

How to find a lost pension yourself (free)

The official government service is:

This tool:

• helps you find contact details for old pension providers
• works using employer or scheme names
• is completely free

Important:
It won’t tell you how much your pension is worth — only who to contact. You’ll still need to reach out to the provider yourself.

Pros & cons of the government pension tool

Pros

• Free
• Official
• Good starting point

Cons

• Manual follow-ups required
• Can be slow if you had multiple jobs
• You’ll need to chase providers yourself

Lost bank & building society accounts

Old bank accounts can be forgotten if you:

• switched current accounts
• opened savings accounts years ago
• moved house and lost paperwork
• stopped using an account with a small balance

These accounts don’t disappear — the money is still there.

How to find lost bank accounts yourself (free)

The main industry-backed service is:

This allows you to search for:

• old bank accounts
• building society accounts
• some savings products

You submit your details once, and participating firms check their records.

Pros & cons of My Lost Account

Pros

• Free
• Covers many UK banks and building societies
• Simple form

Cons

• Doesn’t cover every provider
• Response times can vary
• May require follow-up paperwork

Lost investments & savings

Investments can be forgotten if you:

• opened accounts via employers
• invested small amounts years ago
• used platforms that later changed names
• lost login details or paperwork

This is where things often get tricky, as there’s no single government tool covering all investments.

Using Gretel to find forgotten money (all-in-one option)

One of the simplest ways to check for lost pensions, bank accounts, and investments in one go is using Gretel.

How Gretel works

Gretel:

• securely checks your details against participating financial providers
• searches for lost pensions, bank accounts, and investments
• tells you if matches are found
• helps reconnect you with the provider

Importantly, the search is free.

Why we’re recommending Gretel

Gretel makes sense if:

• you’ve had multiple jobs or accounts
• you don’t know where to start
• you want one place to check everything
• you’d rather avoid filling in multiple forms

It can save time compared to using separate tools for pensions, banks, and investments.

Pros & cons of using Gretel

Pros

• Free to check
• Covers multiple account types
• Minimal effort
• Good for people with complex histories

Cons

• Not every provider is connected
• You may still need to contact providers directly
• Not a replacement for official records

It’s best viewed as a starting point, not a guarantee.

Which route should you use?

There’s no single “best” option — it depends on how hands-on you want to be.

If you prefer full control:

• Use the government pension tool
• Use My Lost Account
• Contact providers directly

If you want something simple and centralised:

• Use Gretel to check everything in one place

Many people do both — starting with Gretel, then following up manually if needed.

Things to watch out for

• You’ll usually need:your full namedate of birthprevious addresses
• your full name
• date of birth
• previous addresses
• Searches can take time — don’t expect instant results
• Be wary of any service that charges just to search

Final thoughts

Forgotten money isn’t rare — it’s just overlooked.

If you’ve:

• changed jobs
• moved house
• switched banks
• or opened accounts years ago

…it’s worth spending a bit of time checking.

Even small amounts can add up, and larger pots — especially pensions — can make a real difference later on.

There’s no downside to checking, and most tools are completely free.