The Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) has recently announced several important updates aimed at making Provident Fund (PF) operations more efficient, transparent, and user-friendly. These measures focus on streamlining account transfers, enhancing Universal Account Number (UAN) management, simplifying claim processes, and improving digital services for both employees and employers. This includes revamped forms and bulk UAN generation without Aadhaar, face authentication on mobile apps, and relaxed documentation norms. Let’s take a look at a few of these significant updates:
Revamped version of Form 13
In a major step towards improving convenience for EPF members and minimising procedural delays, EPFO has rolled out an updated version of Form 13, which further simplifies the process of transferring PF accounts when employees change jobs. The updated Form 13 (Transfer-out) enhances the features of the previously improved Form 19 and adds several new functionalities to streamline the transfer process.
“With a view to further simplify the transfer claim process, the Form 13 (Transfer-out) functionality has since been revamped duly incorporating the bifurcation of taxable and non-taxable components of PF accumulations as stipulated,” the EPFO said in a circular on April 25, 2025.
Taxable and non-taxable EPF interest clarification
The improved functionality of Form 13 on its official portal now clearly distinguishes between taxable and non-taxable components of Provident Fund (PF) accumulations. This enhancement facilitates the precise calculation of Tax Deducted at Source (TDS) on taxable PF interest, thereby promoting smoother tax compliance for both EPFO and its members. The update also improves transparency, providing members with greater insight into the details of their PF interest breakdown.
Changes in EPF website: EPFO updates Form 13 to ease PF account transfer process, to show taxable PF
Bulk UAN generation without Aadhaar
For specific cases, EPFO has launched a facility that allows employers to generate Universal Account Numbers (UANs) in bulk, even without linking Aadhaar. This change is particularly relevant for members associated with Exempted Provident Fund Trusts that have surrendered or had exemptions cancelled. It is also applicable in scenarios involving recovery or quasi-judicial proceedings. Employers can now generate UANs using the existing Member IDs and other available data, ensuring that past contributions are credited to the correct accounts without delays.“With a view to ensure proper accounting of the past accumulations that had been remitted to EPFO by the Exempted PF Trusts consequent to the surrender/cancellation of exemption and also in other cases involving remittance of past period contributions consequent to quasi-judicial/recovery proceedings, it has been decided to relax the requirement of Aadhaar for generation of UAN/credit of Past Accumulations for such members and also provide a facility for bulk generation of UANs based on the Member Id & other member information available on record as to enable prompt crediting of funds in the accounts of such members,” the EPF said in its April 25, 2025, circular.
Now generate, activate UAN instantly with Face ID on UMANG App
EPFO has recently streamlined the process of allotting and activating the Universal Account Number (UAN) further. As per a circular issued by the retirement fund body, Face Authentication Technology (FAT) linked to Aadhaar has been incorporated into the UMANG (Unified Mobile Application for New-age Governance) app. This integration introduces three new features, aimed at delivering a more seamless and user-friendly experience for EPF members and employees.
“In order to simplify and to make the entire process of allotment and activation of UAN more robust, the following three facilities for employees/members have been introduced in the UMANG APP leveraging the Face Authentication Technology (FAT). 1. Direct UAN Allotment and Activation 2. UAN Activation for Existing UANs 3. Face Authentication Service for Existing Activated UANs,” said the circular issued on April 8, 2025.
EPFO simplifies UAN allotment: Now generate, activate UAN instantly with Face ID on UMANG App; Know how to use it
EPF due payment via demand draft
The Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) has issued a clarification addressing concerns raised by various field offices regarding situations where employers are unable to remit past dues through the standard Electronic Challan-cum-Return (ECR) system. In such cases, employers have expressed willingness to settle these dues using demand drafts.
“It is therefore clarified that where the officer-in-charge of the region is satisfied that such request is for a one-time payment of past dues and the employer is not seeking a mode other than the internet banking for the payment of future remittances, he may collect the dues in the manner as is practiced for recovery of any demand in arrears, i.e., through a demand draft in the name of RPFC-in-charge of the region and payable at the bank branch where the regional office concerned holds a bank account,” said a Ministry of Labour and Employment circular issued on April 4, 2025.
Also read: EPF due payment via demand draft: EPFO allows one-time payment of past EPF dues via Demand Draft
No need to upload cheque leaf or passbook image
In a major relief for EPF members, EPFO has eliminated the requirement of uploading a cheque leaf or an attested bank passbook while filing online claims.
The removal of this step will immediately benefit around 60 million EPF members. It eliminates claim rejections due to unreadable or poor-quality uploads. It will also reduce grievances and make online claim settlement faster and hassle-free.
According to a Ministry of Labour and Employment circular on April 3, 2025, “In continuation of earlier efforts to facilitate the speedy settlement of claims filed online and to reduce the rejection of claims due to the reason of non-uploading of the image of cheque leaf/attested bank passbook while filing claims online, it has been decided that the members shall not be required to upload the image of cheque leaf/ attested bank passbook at the time of filing a claim provided the bank account seeded with UAN is validated by concerned bank/NPCI, with effect from the date of this circular.”
No employer approval needed for bank account seeding
To further streamline the process, EPFO has removed the need for employer approval after bank verification for seeding bank account details with UAN.
Currently, every member is required to seed his/her bank account with UAN to get their PF withdrawals seamlessly credited to such an account.
According to a Ministry of Labour and Employment circular on April 3, 2025, “It has also been decided that there shall be no requirement of approval of the employer in the bank account seeding process henceforth. Further, all requests pending for bank KYC seeding at the employer level will be auto-approved following the verification process from the bank/NPCI.”
