Summary
EPFO is further simplifying the claim settlement process with the centralization of the member database under EPFO CITES 2.01. Additionally, as part of EPFO 3.0, consultations have been conducted with stakeholders to make EPFO future-ready.
EPF Claim Process Made Easier: No Need to Submit Check Leaf
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The Employees' Provident Fund Organization (EPFO) has taken several steps in the last 1-2 years to simplify the claim settlement process for PF account holders. Union Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Shobha Karandlaje, recently highlighted these steps in written responses to various questions in the Rajya Sabha.
Here are the key changes set to take effect from April 1, 2025, in the financial year 2025-26:
1. Enhanced Auto Claim Settlement
- The limit for auto-processing of advance claims has been raised to ₹1 lakh.
- In addition to medical/hospitalization advances, auto-processing has been enabled for housing, education, and marriage advances.
- Currently, 60% of advance claims are processed in auto mode within just three days.
- As of March 6, 2025, EPFO has settled 2.16 crore auto claims in the current fiscal year, compared to 89.52 lakh in 2023-24.
2. Simplified Correction Process
- Members with Aadhaar-verified UANs can now update their details without EPFO intervention.
- Currently, around 96% of corrections are processed without EPFO office involvement.
3. Streamlined PF Transfers
- Employers no longer need to verify Aadhaar-verified UANs for PF transfer claims.
- Only 10% of transfer claims now require verification from both members and employers.
4. No Need to Submit Check Leaf
- Members with KYC-compliant UANs no longer need to submit a check leaf with claim forms.
5. Guidance on Ineligible Claims
- EPFO has introduced preliminary validation to guide members on claim eligibility, preventing unnecessary rejections.
- Over 99.31% of claims are now filed online, eliminating the need to visit field offices.
- As of March 6, 2025, 7.14 crore claims have been submitted online in the 2024-25 fiscal year.
EPFO’s Future Plans
EPFO is further simplifying the claim settlement process by centralizing its member database under EPFO CITES 2.01. Additionally, as part of EPFO 3.0, stakeholder consultations have been conducted to transform EPFO into a “future-ready, member-centric, and technology-driven organization,” according to the minister.