Prudential pension tracing starts with Prudential, which now describes itself as part of M&G, or the free Pension Tracing Service if you are unsure.

An old Prudential pension is usually found by matching three things: the name on your paperwork, a few personal details and the right contact route. An FCA-authorised adviser can help if a rediscovered Prudential pot raises questions, and a call without charge follows when the form on this page receives your contact details.

Is my old pension with Prudential, M&G or a company Prudential took over?

It may be with Prudential even if the paperwork carries another name. Prudential's banner says "Pru is part of M&G", so letters and websites may use either name. Prudential also says that over time companies merge and circumstances change, "making it hard to keep track of older plans you might have".

Prudential lists the former companies it is now responsible for: Scottish Amicable Life Assurance Company, Vavasseur Life Assurance Company Limited, Vanbrugh Life Assurance Limited, Greville Insurance (Life Assurance), British Widows Assurance Company Limited and, for with-profits annuities only, Equitable. Look for these names or logos on your plan documents. If one matches, get in touch and Prudential says it will help.

If your papers show a different name, Prudential points to the Association of British Insurers for a list of providers. The Pension Tracing Service, covered further down, is the other way to work out who holds an old pension.

What to have ready before you contact Prudential

Prudential's lost-plan page asks for four essential details: the planholder's full name, date of birth, National Insurance number and the address where the last payment was made. A plan number is optional, and so is the payment method, with bank details if it was a Direct Debit. Prudential says that if you write in, you should include a copy of the planholder's ID, a driving licence or passport.

Gathering them first leaves fewer gaps for Prudential to chase. Old payslips, a letter from the employer, a policy schedule or a bank statement showing the payments are the usual places to find a plan number or address.

How do I contact Prudential about a lost pension?

Prudential says: "If you’ve lost a plan or think you may have an old, unclaimed plan, we can help you trace it." There are three routes:

  • A secure message through its Online Service, if the product is available online.
  • PruMail, which Prudential says to use if you are contacting it on behalf of an existing customer or if the product is not on the Online Service.
  • Phone 0800 000 000, or +44 1786 448844 from outside the UK. Lines are open Monday to Friday, 08:00 – 18:00.
  • Post to Customer Service Centre, Prudential, Lancing, BN15 8GB.

Prudential may come back to you for more information, so keep a note of when you got in touch and what you sent.

Prudential pension tracing through the Pension Tracing Service

If you know the employer that set up the pension but not which provider holds it now, the government's Pension Tracing Service is free and gives you contact details. GOV.UK says: "You need the name of an employer or a pension provider to use this service." It adds that the service "will not tell you whether you have a pension, or what its value is", so the result is a name and address to write to, not a balance.

It can also be used for someone else's scheme if you have their permission. You can start online, or phone 0800 731 0175 between 10am and 3pm, Monday to Friday. Is the Pension Tracing Service free covers how it works and how to spot imitators, and finding a lost pension goes through the wider search across past employers. If the pension belonged to someone who has died, tracing a deceased person's pensions is the better guide.

Pensions dashboards are also being built to show pensions in one place; what a pensions dashboard is explains where that stands.

Scottish Amicable with-profits pensions: what Prudential's guide says

Some old Prudential pensions are with-profits plans, including conventional plans first issued by the Scottish Amicable Life Assurance Society. Prudential's guide for those plans states that "There’s no fixed payout on a with-profits plan" and that it does not guarantee a regular bonus each year, though once added it cannot be removed. For these plans, the guide says the sum assured and bonuses already added are guaranteed only if the plan is left at particular times, such as the normal retirement date or on death, and that a final bonus might not be paid if investment returns have been low over the life of the plan.

The same guide says retiring before that date brings "an appropriately reduced benefit", and that transfer values can change as the underlying assets rise and fall. It also warns: "Please note, the value of your investment can go down as well as up so you might get back less than you put in." Prudential has similar guides for other types of with-profits plan, so read the one that came with yours and its yearly statement. Before moving one, whether to transfer a with-profits pension sets out what to weigh up.

Snags people hit when tracing a Prudential plan

Is a Prudential pension now an M&G pension?

Prudential's pages say "Pru is part of M&G", and the lost-plan service sits on M&G's website under the Prudential name. Plan documents may use either name, so quote what is printed on yours.

Can I trace a Prudential pension without a plan number?

Yes, a plan number is listed as optional. The essential details are your full name, date of birth, National Insurance number and the address where the last payment was made.

Can Prudential help me find a plan a family member left behind?

Prudential says it can help you find a Prudential plan held by a family member who has passed away. Ask Prudential what it needs from you; our guide to deceased pensions covers the other steps.

Can I ring Prudential from outside the UK?

Yes. Prudential's lost-plan page gives +44 1786 448844 for callers outside the UK, on the same Monday to Friday, 08:00 – 18:00 hours.

Does finding my Prudential pension mean I should move it?

No. Tracing only tells you where the pension is. If you later consider moving it, transferring a Prudential pension and how to transfer a pension set out what to check first.

Once you have found it

When Prudential confirms a plan, ask for a current statement and details of any guarantees or charges that apply. Once that paperwork lands, an adviser can ring to talk over how the rediscovered Prudential pot fits your retirement, free of charge; to set that up, complete the form on this page.