How we calculate global unclaimed pension figures

Section 1, United Kingdom

Approx. £31.1 billion across 3.3 million unclaimed pension pots

Source: Pensions Policy Institute, Briefing Note 138: Lost Pensions Survey (most recent edition)

Section 2, Australia

AUD 18.9 billion across approximately 7.3 million lost and ATO-held super accounts (as at 30 June 2025)

Source: Australian Taxation Office (ATO), Lost and Unclaimed Super Data

Section 3, Netherlands

Aggregated pension fund disclosures across ABP, PFZW, PMT, PME and 200+ sector funds

Source: De Nederlandsche Bank (DNB), Pension Sector Statistics

Section 4, Hong Kong

Unclaimed and small-balance MPF accounts across approved trustees

Source: Mandatory Provident Fund Schemes Authority (MPFA), Annual Reports

Section 5, Canada

Unclaimed balances held by federally regulated institutions plus registered pension plan data

Source: Bank of Canada, Unclaimed Balances; OSFI, Registered Pension Plans

Section 6, South Africa

Tens of billions of rand in unclaimed retirement benefits held across registered funds

Source: Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA), Unclaimed Benefits

Section 7, Composite global figure (OECD context)

Pension assets and unclaimed entitlements across OECD member markets

Source: OECD, Pensions at a Glance 2025; Pension Markets in Focus 2025

Section 8, Composite figure

Adding the published disclosures together gives at least $74 billion in verified unclaimed pensions worldwide. We treat this as a floor rather than a total, because only 5 of the 47 systems in our transparency scoreboard publish a number. Markets such as Ireland, New Zealand, Singapore, Malaysia and the UAE publish no comparable figure, so nothing from them is counted here.

Section 9, Source review cadence

We update these figures quarterly as national authorities publish revised data. Last reviewed: May 2026.

How our research actually works

Human researchers, AI assistance. We use public registries, employer records, scheme administrator directories, and country-specific government tracing services to identify forgotten pension pots in your name across the countries we operate in. Each finding in your report cites the source we used to locate it, with the next step you need to take to claim it yourself.

What we do not do

• We do not claim, transfer, negotiate, or make decisions regarding any pension. All decisions remain with you.
• We do not transfer or consolidate any pension.
• We do not give financial, tax, or investment advice.
• We do not take commission or any percentage of a located pot.
• We do not pre-screen cases before you pay. The fee is a fixed price for the research work, not a contingent success fee.

The refund

Full refund if we find nothing material. Refunds are processed back to the original payment method, typically within 5 business days, with a written confirmation by email.

Contact

If you have updated figures or wish to discuss methodology, contact hello@pensionhunter.ai.