New EPF Scheme 2026 brings digital compliance, simplified withdrawal rules, faster pension claims, and updated EPS provisions under the Social Security Code.
New EPF Scheme Latest News
The government has notified the Employees’ Provident Funds Scheme, 2026 and the Employees’ Pension Scheme, 2026, replacing the older frameworks and bringing them under the Code on Social Security, 2020.
EPF and EPS in India
The Employees’ Provident Fund (EPF) is one of India’s most important social security and retirement savings mechanisms for organised sector workers. It is managed by the Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) under the Ministry of Labour and Employment.
Under the EPF system:
Employees contribute a fixed share of their wages every month
Employers make a matching contribution
The savings earn annual interest declared by EPFO
Workers can make partial withdrawals for specified purposes and receive the accumulated amount at retirement or exit
Alongside EPF operates the Employees’ Pension Scheme (EPS), which provides monthly pension benefits after retirement, subject to service conditions. Together, EPF and EPS form the backbone of formal sector retirement security in India.
The new EPF Scheme, 2026 replaces the old Employees’ Provident Funds Scheme, 1952, while the EPS 2026 replaces the earlier Employees’ Pension Scheme, 1995 and the Employees’ Family Pension Scheme, 1971.
Employees’ Provident Fund Scheme, 2026
The biggest change is legal and administrative, not structural. The provident fund framework has now formally moved from the old 1952 law to the Code on Social Security, 2020.
For existing subscribers:
PF balances remain unchanged
Universal Account Numbers (UANs) continue
Past contributions remain valid
Existing benefits continue without interruption
Greater Digitalisation
One of the major shifts under the 2026 scheme is the formal recognition of the digital systems that EPFO has gradually built over time. These include:
Online filing of employer returns
Electronic maintenance of records
Digital member accounts
Online claim processing
Electronic annual statements
Digital inspections
This means PF administration will increasingly rely on digital compliance and online service delivery.
New Withdrawal Structure Incorporated
Changes that EPFO had already announced in 2025 have now been formally incorporated. Withdrawal categories have been streamlined from 13 to 3 broad heads:
Essential needs such as illness, education, and marriage
Housing needs
Special circumstances
Under the new scheme:
For illness of self or family members, members can withdraw up to 100% of eligible member balance after 12 months of membership. Since 25% must remain as minimum balance, this effectively allows withdrawal of 75% of total funds. The full amount can be withdrawn after one year of unemployment.
For education of self and family members, withdrawal is allowed after 12 months of total membership, up to 10 times during membership.
For marriage of self or family members, members may withdraw up to 100% of eligible member balance, with such withdrawals limited to 5 times during membership.
For housing purposes, purchase, construction, repayment of home loan, or renovation, members can withdraw up to 75% of total funds after 12 months of membership, with withdrawals limited to 5 times.
Contract Workers and Principal Employer
For the first time, the scheme explicitly introduces the concept of the principal employer for contract workers. Where workers are employed through contractors who are not independently registered, the employer must initially pay both:
The employer’s contribution
The employee’s contribution
Along with applicable administrative charges, within 15 days of the close of every month.
Even where a contractor makes the PF payment, the ultimate responsibility remains with the principal employer.
Flexibility in Voluntary Contributions
The new scheme expressly provides that employees may:
Contribute on wages above the statutory wage ceiling
Contribute at a rate higher than 12% through Voluntary Provident Fund (VPF)
Employers may also choose to make matching contributions. These additional voluntary contributions may later be reduced or discontinued, providing more flexibility to employees and employers.
What Remains Unchanged in EPF
For most subscribers, the core features remain the same:
Employee contribution remains 12% of wages
Employer contribution remains equal
Certain notified establishments may continue with 10% contribution
Interest rate framework remains unchanged
Tax treatment remains unchanged
Nomination rules remain unchanged
Transfer of PF balance remains unchanged
So, the new scheme does not alter the basic retirement savings structure for salaried employees.
Employees’ Pension Scheme, 2026
The new EPS 2026 has also been notified under the Social Security Code.
What Stays the Same
The pension calculation formula remains unchanged:
Monthly pension = Pensionable Salary × Pensionable Service / 70
Pensionable salary will continue to be based on the average monthly salary of the last 60 months
Employer contribution to EPS remains 8.33% of wages, subject to the wage ceiling
Government contribution remains 1.16% of wages, subject to the wage ceiling
The minimum pension remains Rs 1,000 per month, subject to existing conditions.
Eligibility rules also remain unchanged:
At least 10 years of eligible service is required for a pension
Early pension can be taken from the age 50
Pension is reduced by 4% for every year before the normal retirement age
Members with less than 10 years of service can either withdraw benefits or obtain a scheme certificate
Faster Pension Claim Settlement
A notable operational reform is the introduction of a timeline for pension claim settlement. EPFO must now either:
Settle a complete pension claim within 20 days, or
Inform the applicant about deficiencies within the same period
If a complete claim is delayed without a valid reason, 12% annual interest will be payable on the benefit amount, and it will be recovered from the salary of the responsible EPFO official.
Higher Pension Provision Incorporated
For employees who opted for a higher pension following the Supreme Court ruling, the additional contribution provisions have now been formally incorporated into the scheme.
Overall Significance
The EPF Scheme 2026 and EPS 2026 are best understood as part of a broader administrative modernisation exercise under the Code on Social Security, 2020. The key changes are:
Shift to the new labour code framework
Greater digital compliance
Clearer rules for contract labour and exempted trusts
More structured withdrawal categories
Faster pension settlement timelines
Better compliance and accountability
At the same time, the basic savings and pension architecture remains largely intact, which means there is no immediate disruption for subscribers.
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New EPF Scheme FAQs
Q1. Has the new EPF Scheme changed PF contribution rates?+
Q2. Will existing PF balances and UANs be affected?+
Q3. What is the biggest change in EPF Scheme 2026?+
Q4. Has the pension calculation formula changed under EPS 2026?+
Q5. What new timeline has been introduced for pension claims?+
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