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The Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) has introduced several updates this year. These changes impact how salaried employees withdraw PF funds, transfer accounts after changing jobs, and access other EPF-related services. While some of these updates are already in effect, others are part of the retirement fund body's move towards a more digital and user-friendly system. Here are five key EPFO ​​developments from this year that could significantly impact salaried individuals.

**Expansion of the auto-settlement facility**
A senior official from the retirement body previously stated that the EPFO ​​plans to extend its auto-settlement process to include final PF withdrawal claims. Speaking at an industry event in May, EPFO ​​Central Provident Fund Commissioner Ramesh Krishnamurthy said, "We are going to initiate auto-settlement wherever possible... previously, it was available only for advances. Now, we are moving towards auto-settlement for final withdrawals as well."

Currently, only advance PF claims of up to ₹5 lakh are processed via the auto-settlement mode. However, the retirement fund body is now considering implementing this same system for final withdrawals to make the process faster and hassle-free for members.

**UAN activation shifted to the UMANG app**
New or existing EPFO ​​members can no longer activate or generate their Universal Account Number (UAN) through the Unified Member Portal, as both services have been shifted to the UMANG app, requiring Aadhaar-based Face Authentication (FAT). This change follows a major database consolidation and software upgrade. According to the EPFO, the aim is to make its online services faster and more reliable.

**PF transfer process automated**
The EPFO ​​has made it easier for employees to transfer their PF balance after changing jobs. According to the EPFO ​​website, the entire process will become automated for UAN holders whose accounts are Aadhaar-linked and KYC-compliant.

Implementing this provision is significant as it eliminates the need to submit separate transfer applications, thereby reducing paperwork and hassle. Previously, transferring a PF account required approvals from the former employer, the new employer, and the EPFO ​​office.

**Faster Settlement of EPF and EPS Claims**
Speaking at an industry summit last month, Krishnamurthy stated that the retirement fund body expects most new PF withdrawal claims filed by members to be settled on the same day or, at most, within two days.

A strict 20-day deadline has also been set for processing eligible pension claims under the EPS. If the EPFO ​​fails to settle a claim within this timeframe without valid documentary reasons, the delayed amount will attract an annual interest rate of 12%, which may be recovered from the responsible commissioner.

**UPI and ATM-based PF Withdrawals**
A facility for settling provident fund claims via the BHIM app is expected to launch soon, allowing claim amounts to be credited directly to members' UPI-linked bank accounts. In July, alongside the goal of expediting EPF settlements, Krishnamurthy announced that this framework was expected to be implemented within about a month. This implies the facility could launch this month, although no further details or updates on this development have been provided so far. During the summit, he stated, "As our Minister has said, we will initiate the claim settlement process via the BHIM app, and claims will be settled through UPI-linked bank accounts. Therefore, this framework is likely to be implemented within a month at most."

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