More than a quarter (26 per cent) of people haven't kept the expression of wish forms for all their pensions up to date, while a further 13 per cent are unsure if they have, according to new research from Hargreaves Lansdown.

The study found that only 38 per cent of savers had kept expression of wish forms for all their pensions up to date, while nearly a quarter (24 per cent) didn’t even know what an expression of wish form was.

This means that around six in 10 savers could risk their pension benefits being paid to the wrong person, such as an ex-partner, if their personal circumstances have changed.

Indeed, Hargreaves Lansdown senior pensions and retirement analyst, Helene Morrissey, warned that putting off updates to these forms can risk causing" real problems" for loved ones in the event of a savers' death.

Morrissey also explained that although pension scheme administrators and trustees can make enquiries about whether the person named on these forms continues to be the right person, this can prove difficult if they can’t track down loved ones.

“They will also have different responsibilities depending on how the pension is set up. If it is set up under discretion, then administrators and trustees can amend the beneficiaries if they find the ones on the form are outdated," she continued.

“However, if the pension is set up under direction then they have no such discretion, and the benefits must be paid out to the person named on the form.

“Refreshing these forms whenever your circumstances change is key to making sure your wishes are respected and your loved ones are protected in the event of your death.”

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