A change in work does not erase earlier records
GOV.UK explains that your workplace pension remains yours after changing jobs, with scheme-specific short-membership rules. If you become self-employed or stop working, ask the old scheme whether continued contributions are possible. Do not assume the old record has closed or that it accepts new payments.
Identify what actually changed
GOV.UK explains that someone can be employed and self-employed at the same time, and that tax status can differ from employment-law status. Record the specific work arrangement and dates; a label on your new website is not a decision about every role.
Separate existing pensions from possible new plans
MoneyHelper explains that self-employed people can arrange a defined contribution pension, whose outcome depends on contributions, investments, charges and how money is taken. Our self-employed overview explains the record questions without choosing a plan or contribution amount.
Sources: MoneyHelper: A guide to pensions if you are self-employed
Make a private handover note
Keep old scheme correspondence separate from new payment instructions. A proposed direct debit, a bank payment and a provider’s recorded receipt describe different stages. Mark an uncertain scheme or amount unknown until there is evidence.
- Previous employment: leaving date, scheme and outstanding payroll questions.
- Existing pension: type, official contact route and dated statement.
- New arrangement: product terms or contribution questions still to clarify.
- National Insurance: actual record or forecast question, separately from private pensions.
Use the right route for the question
For State Pension, check your National Insurance record and official forecast; a private pension value does not answer that question. For contribution tax treatment or your business structure, use current official guidance and appropriate professional help. The linked tax-relief guide helps organise evidence without calculating entitlement.
Keep short employment notes in the browser organiser. It does not register a business, open a pension, send payments, submit a tax return or retrieve government records. Keep real identifiers and correspondence privately.
Sources & review
- GOV.UK: Changing jobs and taking leaveChecked 2026-10-04
- GOV.UK: Self-employed and contractor statusChecked 2026-10-04
- MoneyHelper: A guide to pensions if you are self-employedChecked 2026-10-05
Next scheduled review: 2027-01-04. Provider details can change sooner. Use the official website for the current contact route.
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