Forgotten Treasure

Are you entitled to a 'refund of contributions'?

Did you contribute to the scheme for less than 5 years between 1977 and 1988 or for less than 2 years between 1988 and 2000?

The Sainsbury's Pension Fund has a vast amount of unclaimed 'refund of contributions', waiting to be reunited to around 27,000 former short service colleagues who were either members of the J Sainsbury Pension & Death Benefit Scheme for less than 5 years between 1977 and 1988 or for less than 2 years between 1988 and 2000.

The two most common scenarios covered are:

• An Early Leavers Withdrawal Form was not completed prior to leaving the company.
• Moving home and not letting the Pensions Team know your current address

The Sainsbury's' Pension Fund has managed to trace some of the former members through Faraday Tracing Bureau, but the Trustees have also stepped up the campaign to give the monies back to the rightful owners, by becoming the first occupational pension scheme to join the Unclaimed Assets Register.

We now aim to make it easier for both the pension fund to trace former members and for the former members to trace us.

Where to check for details

If you or anyone you know who previously worked for J Sainsbury Plc between 1977 and 2000 think there is a claim - your first port of call should be the Sainsbury's Pensions Department.

Tracing unclaimed pension refund could not be simpler - just send an email, with details of your full name, current address, date of birth, National Insurance number and employment dates to:- pensions@sainsburys.co.uk

A detailed search through our pensions database will be carried out to determine whether or not you have a claim. For security purpose, if your claim is successful an application form will be sent to you for completion and return before any monies are released.

Tracing an old pension scheme

If you or your relatives are looking for a pension scheme where you think you may have benefits, the Pension Scheme Registry can help you find the pension scheme(s) you have belonged to in the past.

If you need to contact the registrar you can write to :-

Registrar of Pension Schemes
The Occupational Pension Regulatory Authority
PO Box 1NN
Newcastle Upon Tyne
NE99 1NN