Thousands lose pensions in firms' 'Fawlty Towers' bungles

She said it was possible that final salary schemes had on average lost touch with 5pc of their members. With six million people in such schemes, this could mean hundreds of thousands are missing out on pensions to which they are entitled.

The loss of pension records is likely to affect people with relatively small pots, as savers with larger amounts at stake are more likely to have noticed their firm’s failure to communicate with them.

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What to do about lost pensions

You may be affected by a loss of paperwork if you haven’t heard from your pension company (or, in the case of a workplace scheme, your former employer’s scheme) for a while.

The first step is to get in touch and check that the company has your up-to-date address. If it claims to have no record of a pension in your name, you’ll need to prove your entitlement yourself. In the case of a workplace pension, write to the trustees with as much information about your employment as you can, including dates, office location, type of job and salary. A payslip is ideal.

Even if you can prove that you worked for the firm, determining your exact pension entitlement may be difficult. Try to find bank or pay records proving your contributions. You may have to settle for an estimate. Sometimes these claims can take months or even years, Ms Altmann said.

With private pensions, write to the company concerned. Bear in mind that the firm with which you signed your original contract may have merged several times and may go by a new name. You could also try calling the Pensions Advisory Service’s helpline on 0845 601 2923 (pensionsadvisoryservice.org.uk ).

• richard.evans@telegraph.co.uk

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