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Original poster

DF has been deceased for 30 years and I've got a letter with regards to his Pension pot

40 replies

TunaTheSilverTabbyCat · 04/01/2025 19:09

I've received a letter from Legal & General asking if I'm his NOK (which I am) as there's monies that are sitting in a Pension from a Company that he worked for back in the 50's/60's which stopped trading in 1966

DF would have been 88 in February

A) they've taken nearly 30 years to contact his NOK, I moved 2 years ago

B) Could this be a possible scam? (I do have a Reference number and they are requesting that I telephone them at the earliest opportunity)

Slightly flummoxed by it if I'm being honest!!!

Has anyone else had this happen to them in the UK?

OP posts:
Pandasnacks · 04/01/2025 19:10

If you google the phone number what does it say?

Lollypop701 · 04/01/2025 19:10

Call legal and general and ask.. a letter is unlikely to be a scam

Billybagpuss · 04/01/2025 19:12

That’s probably legit, did you deal with the estate? Do you have death certificate and grant of probate.

obviously do your own due diligence first, double check the phone number and did df work for the company mentioned.

Tiswa · 04/01/2025 19:14

I would either Google the number to see if it is L&G or Google the number for them and call them

MostHighlyFlavoredGravy · 04/01/2025 19:17

It could well be legit. If your DF moved house without telling them his new address they (or whoever was administering the pension at the time) may have been unable to trace him to pay his pension before he died.

NewMe2024 · 04/01/2025 19:18

Sounds legitimate to me. I would separately look up the relevant dept at L&G (I.e. don’t use the details in the letter) and confirm with them via phone. Lost pension pots are pretty common to be fair.

snoopysnoooper · 04/01/2025 19:23

I can't remember what pension provider it was, but my DF (in his 70s) was recently contacted via letter about a pension from the 80s which he totally forgot about. He also thought it was a scam but they wrote again so he spoke to them and it was legit. I think he ended up with about 7k in the end!

battairzeedurgzome · 04/01/2025 19:32

How exciting! I hope there is a nice little pot of money for you.

whiteroseredrose · 04/01/2025 19:34

It is probably legitimate. I work for a pension company and we do do searches for Death Certificates for very old pensions and then try to find family.

Google Legal and General and give them a call.

Favouritefruits · 04/01/2025 19:39

There was a daytime program about this last month, apparently people died not knowing they had pensions from decades ago and to cut a long story short the pension companies agreed to contact people. I can’t remember the program but is was a BBC programme around 10ish

harriethoyle · 04/01/2025 19:53

I had this with a pension for late DM because I’d registered her death. Be warned, they asked me to ask her to write to them to confirm she was dead… 🙈 that got DF (on whose behalf I was acting) an additional £500 in apology once I’d kicked up a stink. I’d email them so you have everything in writing.

Roselilly36 · 04/01/2025 19:56

you are wise to act with caution, but I am sure it will be genuine. I forgot to inform a previous employer of my new address, they wrote to me out of the blue.

godmum56 · 04/01/2025 20:01

I had similar 5 years after my husband died. It was legit. Be careful about giving them your bank details and so on until you have verified. there should be no fees payable.

lightsandtunnels · 04/01/2025 20:07

My parents had a letter addressed to me (my maiden name) at my old family home 30 years after I'd moved out. It was from Aviva and it was indeed a legitimate pension pot from a job I had back in the 80s. I never even knew that I had paid into a pension with the job. I thought it was a scam and almost didn't bother contacting them. But I am glad I did!

As I had reached early retirement age when the letter came I was able to take the pension as a lump sum. It was almost £20k so very welcome!

MammaTo · 04/01/2025 20:09

Phone L&G from a number you find independently and find out.

Itisjustmyopinion · 04/01/2025 20:26

Definitely phone L&G from a number that is publicly available to check if it’s legit

I know it’s a soap but Eastenders have just done a pension scam storyline. Can’t be too careful

helibirdcomp · 04/01/2025 20:32

But don't get our hopes up to high. Hubby was contacted about a pension from a job 50+ years ago. It turn out to be just over £200 :(

Gabitule · 04/01/2025 20:37

whiteroseredrose · 04/01/2025 19:34

It is probably legitimate. I work for a pension company and we do do searches for Death Certificates for very old pensions and then try to find family.

Google Legal and General and give them a call.

I always wondered how this works. What’s in it for you to find the NOK and give them the money, how does this benefit the pension company?

slightlydistrac · 04/01/2025 21:15

Gabitule · 04/01/2025 20:37

I always wondered how this works. What’s in it for you to find the NOK and give them the money, how does this benefit the pension company?

Show quote history

They are sitting on millions in unpaid pensions that doesn't belong to them, and I think they are now obliged to find the people entitled to their pension, or their next of kin.

MostHighlyFlavoredGravy · 04/01/2025 21:56

Gabitule · 04/01/2025 20:37

I always wondered how this works. What’s in it for you to find the NOK and give them the money, how does this benefit the pension company?

Show quote history

They are often old defined benefit schemes, where the trustees who ultimately run the scheme are duty-bound to take all reasonable steps to track down lost beneficiaries, or their NOK where the person has died. It sometimes takes a long time!

AgreeableDragon · 04/01/2025 22:03

I'm voting legit. I had a letter like this from a pension company and discovered a had a small pension that id forgotten about.
How exciting for you!

Nollybolly6 · 04/01/2025 22:05

Google legal and general pensions team and go through all the customer service malarkey with them to find out the truth of there is a pension pot for you. Job done

whiteroseredrose · 05/01/2025 00:16

@Gabitule it's about doing the right thing for the customer. Good practice and nowadays a legal requirement.

UncharteredWaters · 05/01/2025 00:32

harriethoyle · 04/01/2025 19:53

I had this with a pension for late DM because I’d registered her death. Be warned, they asked me to ask her to write to them to confirm she was dead… 🙈 that got DF (on whose behalf I was acting) an additional £500 in apology once I’d kicked up a stink. I’d email them so you have everything in writing.

Yep had this with the bank.
Standing in the bank with a death certificate at 21 after the sudden death of my dad - they asked me to get him to come in and confirm his own death….

‘confirm he’s dead?’
’yes’
’are you fucking stupid?’
’don’t swear at me - it’s a simple request’
(Tears started rolling)

Thankfully a wonderful local businessman and family friend had overheard, immediately intervened and said you have 2 minutes to get the manager, and a sincere apology or believe me when I say I and every business in this town will leave the branch….

I’ve never forgotten it.

TheSquareMile · 05/01/2025 01:17

Does the Pension Tracing website, which is a bona fide website, contain any relevant information which corroborates what it says in the letter? If unsure, you could ring them for advice on Monday.

https://www.gov.uk/find-pension-contact-details

Find pension contact details

Find the contact details for a pension provider by using the Pension Tracing Service

https://www.gov.uk/find-pension-contact-details