How to Claim Australian Super From the UK

If you worked in Australia and have since returned to the United Kingdom, you may be able to claim Australian super from the UK. The Australian Taxation Office (ATO) reports AUD 18.9 billion in lost and ATO-held superannuation (Source: ATO, 2025), and a significant portion belongs to former temporary residents who left Australia without claiming their entitlements.

Who can claim Australian super from the UK?

Former temporary residents of Australia, including those who held 417 (Working Holiday), 457 (Skilled Worker), 482, or other temporary visas, are eligible to claim their superannuation after permanently departing Australia. This is known as a Departing Australia Superannuation Payment (DASP). Australian citizens and permanent residents who have moved to the UK retain their super but may not be able to access it until preservation age (typically 60).

The DASP process

To claim a DASP, you generally need:

• Your Tax File Number (TFN), if you have it
• Passport details matching your Australian visa
• Details of your super fund(s)
• Proof that your visa has expired or been cancelled

The ATO allows claims through their online portal, but many British residents find the process confusing, particularly if they do not know which super fund holds their money, or if their super has been transferred to the ATO as unclaimed money.

Challenges for UK residents

Many people who worked in Australia on temporary visas had super contributions made by their employer but never received statements or lost track of the fund. The ATO's online tools require specific identification details that may have changed since you left Australia. If your super has been consolidated into the ATO holding account, the process is different from claiming from an active fund.

How PensionHunter helps

PensionHunter searches the ATO lost super register (public information) and cross-references Australian employer records to identify APRA-regulated super funds. At Enhanced Pension Identification Report tier we prepare a complete request pack for each fund we identify, written and ready to send under your signed Information Request Authority (IRA). If you also have a UK pension from your time in Britain, our multi-country search covers both jurisdictions for a single fee.

We report back within five working days of your intake form. Full refund if we find nothing material.

This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice.

PensionHunter operates consumer pension search across 41 active countries, with worldwide expansion underway. We also trace lost pension members worldwide on behalf of pension schemes, funds and trustees, see /trustees.