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New Delhi: The Employees Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) has made an important decision to support the families of its members.

From April 1, 2025, the ex-gratia (death relief) amount for families of central board employees has been increased from Rs 8.8 lakh to Rs 15 lakh.

This means if a central board EPFO employee passes away on or after this date, their family or legal heir will receive Rs 15 lakh instead of the earlier Rs 8.8 lakh.

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Payment from Staff Welfare Fund

The increased amount will be paid from the Staff Welfare Fund to the family of the deceased employee.

This decision was made by the Central Board of Trustees, EPFO’s highest decision-making body. The board includes representatives from the government, employers, and employees.

5 percent Annual Increase from 2026

EPFO has also decided that starting from April 1, 2026, the ex-gratia amount will be increased by 5 percent every year.

This ensures that the support provided keeps up with inflation and rising costs, helping families better manage after a loss.

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EPFO Issued Notification on August 19

In a circular issued on August 19, 2025, EPFO stated:

"With approval from the Chairman of the Central Staff Welfare Committee and the Central Provident Fund Commissioner, the death relief amount has been increased to Rs 15 lakh. This will be paid to the nominee or legal heir of the deceased central board employee from the Staff Welfare Fund."

Two Other Big Changes by EPFO

EPFO has recently introduced two major changes to simplify processes:

No Need for Guardianship Certificate

If an employee passes away and their PF amount needs to be given to minor children, there is no need to submit a guardianship certificate. This helps the family get the money faster.

Easier Aadhaar Update Process

For those whose Aadhaar is not linked or verified with UAN, EPFO has made the process simpler and faster so members can easily update or correct Aadhaar details.

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