MyLastWill Blog

Organise Your Pensions to Ease Management and Assist with Probate

Keeping track of the various pensions accumulated over a working lifetime is a challenge many of us quietly ignore – but unclaimed pensions in the UK have now risen to a staggering £31 billion, with an estimated £15 billion of that linked to deceased estates. For the executors of your will, tracking down pension information can be one of the most complex and time-consuming tasks of the entire probate process.


When someone passes away, their executors must collate all assets before the estate can be distributed. Pension information – spread across multiple providers, old employers, and long-forgotten schemes – is notoriously difficult to trace, particularly if it has been largely overlooked during the deceased’s lifetime. This is one of the key reasons probate so often takes far longer than families expect, delaying the distribution of an estate to loved ones at an already difficult time.

This issue has also caught the attention of the UK Treasury, as its April 2027 target date to make unused pensions part of a deceased’s taxable estate draws closer. The government is now actively working to address the problem with a dedicated digital tool.


The government is currently developing a Digital Pension Dashboard, with a completion date expected in October 2026. The dashboard will allow individuals – and eventually executors – to view all workplace, private, and state pensions in one place, making the process of identifying and claiming pension assets far more straightforward.

Hundreds of pension and scheme providers are already connected in readiness for the launch. Once live, this tool will not only help individuals monitor their investments during their lifetime but will also significantly assist will executors as they navigate the probate process.

It is already possible to consolidate multiple workplace and private pensions into a single provider, which can make tracking much easier. However, this should be approached carefully – always check that consolidation does not result in significant charges, lost benefits, or financial penalties for early withdrawal before proceeding. Professional financial advice is recommended.


You don’t need to wait until October 2026 to get your pension affairs in order. Here are some practical steps you can take today:

1. Use the free Pension Tracing Service to find any lost or forgotten pension pots.
2. Compile a list of all previous employers to help identify potential pension schemes you may have contributed to.
3. Check your State Pension Forecast on Gov.uk.
4. Gather all existing pension statements and information into one place.
5. Keep a clear record of how to access each pension account – including login details, passwords, and associated email addresses.
6. If it makes financial sense, consider consolidating pensions into a single provider – but seek professional advice first.

A will is only as effective as the information that goes into it. Alongside property details, savings, and other assets, your pensions must be clearly documented and accounted for. Once you have gathered your pension information using the steps above, organise everything into clearly labelled files – whether paper or electronic – covering areas such as ‘Life Insurance,’ ‘Mortgages,’ ‘Pensions,’ and so on.

Crucially, your loved ones need to know where all of this information is stored. If anything is held electronically, make clear notes of the relevant email addresses and passwords so that it can be easily accessed when the time comes.

Remember: your will is only as effective as the amount of detail you go into.


With so many online will writing platforms available, this is one area of life where it truly pays to weigh up the levels of service, support, and detail on offer against cost. My Last Will offers an intuitive yet thorough, step-by-step will writing platform – and where our offering really stands apart is the level of support you receive throughout.

My Last Will offers:

1. Fixed pricing; just £130 for two (mirror wills).
2. An easy-to-use, step-by-step online platform which ensures no essential details are overlooked.
3. Live support from legal, will writing specialists – so your will is as detailed and effective as it can possibly be, giving you complete peace of mind.
4. The option to open an account for secure will storage and easy updates as your circumstances change.