Finding lost money in India.
Most lost pension money in India sits in a provident fund account run by the EPFO. You trace it through the EPFO member portal and your UAN, the number tied to your employment.
Last read: 1 November 2026
Pensions
State pension: EPFO Unified Member Portal (UAN). Your EPF passbook, once your UAN is active on the member portal.
Workplace and private pensions: Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO). India has no public register that links employers to their pension funds. Ask your former employer for your UAN or EPF number.
Key facts and sources
- The UAN is a permanent number that acts as an umbrella for the member IDs given to you by different employers. Source: EPFO member FAQ, read 1 November 2026.
- EPFO says your UAN is available with your employer. To use the member portal you need your UAN, mobile number and member ID to activate it. Source: EPFO member FAQ, read 1 November 2026.
- Once your UAN is active, you can download your passbook from the member portal. Exempted establishments are the exception: their passbooks are not on the portal. Source: EPFO member FAQ, read 1 November 2026.
Other lost money
- Dormant bank accounts: UDGAM. A free RBI portal where registered users search for dormant deposits and accounts across several banks in one place; each bank handles the follow-up. Run by: Reserve Bank of India.
- Lost shares: IEPF refund. Explains that if a company has moved your unpaid amount or shares to the IEPF, you can ask the Authority to return them by filing Form IEPF-5. Run by: Investor Education and Protection Fund Authority.
Questions
How do I find a lost pension in India?
Ask your former employer for your UAN. EPFO says it is available with the employer. Activate it on the member portal, then download your passbook.
Is there a register that links employers to pension funds in India?
No. There is no public register that links employers to their pension funds, so you need your UAN or your former employer's help.
Can I find forgotten bank deposits or shares in India?
Yes, two official routes exist. The Reserve Bank's UDGAM portal searches dormant deposits across several banks. The IEPF Authority handles amounts and shares that companies have moved to the fund.
Worked in more than one country?
No national tool looks across borders. PensionHunter traces pensions left behind across borders. It is run by Battersea Park Capital. Capital Find Money's founder has an interest in it, and we feature it because no national tool looks across countries. Try the free lost pension checker. Our own count of pensions left behind and the guides are free.
We always point people to the free government tracing route first, and we take nothing from financial advisers.