Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation India: (EPFO)

The Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) is one of the largest social security bodies in the world. It manages over 29.88 crore accounts and operates under the Employees' Provident Funds Act of 1952. 

 

Established in 1951, it offers three key schemes: 

• Employees’ Provident Fund (EPF) 

• Employees' Pension Scheme (EPS)

• Employees’ Deposit Linked Insurance Scheme (EDLI)

 

EPFO plays a key role in managing employee retirement savings. It ensures regular contributions from both employers and employees, helping you build a retirement fund. It acts as a financial backup for emergencies by allowing partial withdrawals for education, housing, weddings, or medical expenses.

 

As per the 2025 Budget, the government will reimburse employers for EPF contributions up to ₹3,000 per month for two years for all new hires.

The EPFO continues to grow and manage significant funds, providing social and financial security for millions of employees. Here are some key statistics to know:

• EPFO managed a corpus of ₹15,690 billion ($209 billion) as of March 2021

• In March 2024, EPFO added 14.5 million net new members, up from 13.8 million in March 2023

• 56.83% of new members in March 2024 were aged 18 to 25

• EPFO's growth rate surged by 58% in 2021-22, followed by 13% in 2022-23 and 5% in 2023-24

The Employees’ Provident Fund (EPF) works through contributions from employees and employers. Here is how:

• Employee Contribution: You contribute 12% of your basic salary plus dearness allowance (DA) and retaining allowance to the EPF

• Employer Contribution: Your employer contributes 12% of your basic salary plus DA, with 8.33% going to the Employees' Pension Scheme (EPS) and 3.67% to the EPF

• Additional Contributions by Employers: 0.5% goes to the Employees' Deposit-linked Insurance Scheme (EDLI) and 0.5% covers administrative charges

• Reduced Contribution Rate: For organisations with 20 or fewer employees or those declared sick, the EPF contribution rate is 10%

The current EPF interest rate is set at 8.25%. It provides a secure return on your retirement savings. Stay informed about any further updates or changes throughout the year. The following are EPF interest rates in the last 10 financial years: 

Stay updated about your savings as checking your EPF balance online is quick and easy. Here are three simple ways to do so:

Check EPF Balance Using UAN

The Universal Account Number (UAN) simplifies managing your provident fund accounts. By linking all your EPF accounts under one UAN, you can easily track contributions and interest in real-time. Follow these simple steps to check your balance:

 

1. Visit the EPF portal and click on the ‘For Employees’ section under ‘Services’ at the top of the page

 

 

2. Click on ‘Member Passbook’ in the ‘Services’ section

 

 

3. You will be redirected to a new page. Enter your UAN and password, fill in the Captcha, and click ‘Sign In’

 

 

4. A six-digit OTP will be sent to your Aadhaar-linked phone number

 

5. Enter the OTP and click ‘Verify’. 

 

Your PF account balance will now be displayed on the screen. 

Check EPF Balance Using the UMANG App

This application provides a convenient platform to access pan-India e-Gov services. Here is how you can check your EPF balance:

1. Download the UMANG App from the Google Play Store or Apple App Store

2. Register on the app using your mobile number or through ‘MeriPehchan’ or Digilocker

3. Search for EPFO Services by typing ‘EPFO’ in the search bar

4. Select ‘View Passbook’ from the displayed EPFO services

5. Choose ‘Employee-centric Service’

6. Enter your UAN and click ‘Login’

7. Verify with OTP sent to your registered mobile number, then click ‘OK’

8. View your EPF balance and details in your passbook

Check EPF Balance via Missed Call or SMS

To check your Provident Fund (PF) balance using the missed call service, simply follow these steps:

1. Register your mobile number with your UAN on the Unified Portal

2. Link your UAN with at least one KYC detail: Bank Account Number, Aadhaar, or PAN

3. Give a missed call to 9966044425 from your registered mobile number

4. Your call will automatically disconnect after two rings, and you will receive an SMS with details of your last contribution and PF balance

 

To know your latest PF contribution and balance via SMS, send a message from your registered mobile number to 7738299899 using the following format:

‘EPFOHO UAN’ 

 

To receive the SMS in a language other than English, add the first three letters of your preferred language after UAN. For example, for Telugu, the SMS should be:

‘EPFOHO UAN TEL’ 

 

You can receive information in English, Hindi, Punjabi, Gujarati, Marathi, Kannada, Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam, and Bengali. The service will provide your last PF contribution, balance details, and available KYC information.

To withdraw funds from your EPF account, visit the Member eSewa portal for a quick online process. 

Full Withdrawal

Follow these steps to verify your KYC details and submit your claim easily.

1. Visit the Member eSewa portal: EPF Member Portal

2. Login using your UAN and password, complete the captcha and click ‘Sign in’

3. Go to the ‘Manage’ tab and select ‘KYC’ to check if your KYC details (Aadhaar, PAN, bank details) are verified

4. If verified, go to the ‘Online services’ tab and select 'Claim (Form-31, 19, 10C)'

5. On the next screen, check your member and KYC details, enter your bank account number and click 'Verify'

6. Click on the certificate and submit your application; you may need to upload scanned documents

7. Choose 'PF advance (Form 31)' to request funds, provide the reason, amount needed, and your address

8. In the claim form, select what you want to apply for full EPF settlement, part withdrawal, or pension withdrawal

9. Click 'Proceed for online claim'

10. Click 'Yes' to sign the undertaking certificate and continue

Partial Withdrawal

You can follow the same procedure to partially withdraw your funds from the EPF account. Please note that a partial EPF withdrawal is permitted only under the following circumstances:

• Purchase or construction of a house/flat, including site acquisition

• Repayment of loans in special cases

• Advances in special situations:

  • Lockout or closure of the establishment for more than 15 days

  • Unemployment without compensation for over 2 months (not due to a strike)

  • Discharge/dismissal/retirement challenged in court

  • Establishment closure for over 6 months with unemployment without compensation

• Illness-related advances in certain cases

• Marriages or post-matriculation education of children

• Advances for physically handicapped members

• Withdrawal within one year before retirement

• Advance due to property damage from natural calamities

• Advance for electricity cut (maximum ₹300)

• Investment in Varistha Pension Bima Yojana

The Employees' Pension Scheme (EPS) is a social security program financially supporting employees after retirement. Managed by the EPFO, the EPS aims to ensure that subscribers receive a regular pension after their service ends.

 

Under EPS, a portion of your monthly EPF contributions goes directly to the pension scheme. This fund accumulates over your working years, and upon retirement, you receive a monthly pension based on your service duration and contributions. 

 

The scheme also provides benefits to your family in case of your untimely demise. To qualify for a pension under the EPS, you must meet these criteria:

• Minimum Service Period: You need to complete at least 10 years of service

• Retirement Age: The retirement age is 58 years or more, and if you reach 58, you can qualify for a pension even if you have not retired

• Age: You can also receive a pension if you are at least 50 years old and have more than 10 years of service

In case of any issues, you can contact the EPFO for assistance through the Helpdesk or the Grievance Redressal Portal.

Via the Official Website

1. Visit the EPFO website

2. Navigate to the ‘Online Services’ menu

3. Click on ‘Register Grievance’

4. Enter your personal details and Universal Account Number (UAN)

5. Select the type of grievance

6. Provide a description of the issue

7. Submit the grievance

8. Check your email for the registration number

9. Use the number to check the grievance status online

10. Send reminders if necessary

Through the Helpdesk

For assistance with your EPF account, you can contact the official helpdesk by calling 14470. This dedicated helpline is available to address your queries and provide support. It's a quick way to get help with any EPF-related issues.

Via Email

You can also write down your grievances in a mail and send it to one of the following:

• For employees: employeefeedback@epfindia.gov.in

• For employers: employerfeedback@epfindia.gov.in

Via the Grievance Redressal Portal

Visit the EPF Grievance Management System (EPFiGMS) at https://epfigms.gov.in/ to file your grievances for any EPFO service. Once registered, you will receive a unique registration number and an acknowledgement via SMS and email. 

 

The system is bilingual and offers faster redressal after recent updates. You can send grievances to the head office in New Delhi or any of the 135 field offices across the country.

Via Postal Address

Send a signed written letter to:

The CVO, EPFO Vigilance Headquarters

14 Bhikaji Cama Place, 

New Delhi – 110066

 

You will need to include any relevant supporting materials or documents.