If you have changed jobs multiple times during your career and forgotten to transfer funds from your old Provident Fund (PF) accounts, there is welcome news for you. The Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) has launched a new digital e-portal.

Through this portal, EPF members can easily track their old, unclaimed, or inactive PF accounts and—following official identity authentication—transfer the funds online to their currently active Universal Account Number (UAN). Shobha Karandlaje, Union Minister of State for Labour and Employment, formally announced this new facility in a written reply to a question raised by MP VK Sreekandan in the Lok Sabha.

What benefits will EPF members derive from the new e-portal?
According to the Central Government and the Ministry of Labour, the primary objective of this new platform is to eliminate the need for paperwork and the hassle of making repeated visits to EPFO ​​offices. The website has been designed to be user-friendly. With the launch of this site, EPF members can perform the tasks listed below from the comfort of their homes, without having to visit an EPFO ​​office.

Identification of old and dormant accounts now possible
Members will have the option to transfer balances from old accounts directly to their new UAN or apply online for settlement. A 'Joint Declaration' for updating Know Your Customer (KYC) details can also be submitted online via the portal. Digital authentication will expedite verification, thereby reducing manual intervention and eliminating the scope for fraud.

Will assistance be available even if the old PF number has been completely forgotten?

According to the information provided in Parliament, this portal will assist members who possess details or identification regarding their old PF accounts. However, the government has clarified that there is currently no proposal under consideration for members who have completely forgotten their old PF account numbers or details and have no record of them.

Why was this new portal needed? There are over 8 crore EPF members in India. Before the implementation of the UAN (Universal Account Number) system in 2014, employees were assigned a new PF account number whenever they changed jobs. Consequently, funds in the old accounts of many employees remained unclaimed. Now, this new portal will help members reclaim their hard-earned savings without any hassle.

Alongside this new facility, the EPFO ​​has also begun crediting the annual interest—set at 8.25% for the financial year—into members' accounts. Notifications regarding the interest credit are being sent to members via SMS on their registered mobile numbers, offering the workforce a dual benefit on their retirement savings.

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