EPFO revamps Unified Member Portal; UAN activation shifts to UMANG: What it means for subscribers

The Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) has restored its Unified Member Portal after a nearly week-long scheduled upgrade, rolling out a redesigned interface and several changes to member services aimed at improving speed, security and reliability.

Among the biggest changes, members can no longer activate their Universal Account Number (UAN) or generate a new UAN through the EPFO portal. Both services have been moved to the government's UMANG app and now require Aadhaar-based Face Authentication (FaceAuth).

UAN activation via UMANG only

The UAN activation option has been removed from the Unified Member Portal. Members must now use the UMANG app, navigate to EPFO Services, and select "UAN Activation" under "UAN Services Through Face Auth" to activate their account.

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New UAN generation shifted

EPFO has also discontinued new UAN allotment through the portal. Users seeking a new UAN must complete the process on the UMANG app by selecting "UAN Allotment and Activation" under "UAN Services Through Face Auth", followed by Aadhaar-based Face Authentication.

Existing PF members can still obtain a UAN

Members who already have a Provident Fund account but have not yet been allotted a UAN can still generate one by verifying their registered mobile number, submitting the required member details and linking the newly generated UAN to their existing PF account.

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Easier UAN retrieval

The upgraded portal introduces a simplified UAN retrieval process. Members need to enter their registered mobile number, upload valid identity or address proof, and verify the OTP sent to their phone to recover their UAN.

Death claim facility remains unchanged

The Unified Member Portal will continue to handle death claims, including pension-related claims. Before filing a claim, beneficiaries should ensure their Aadhaar-linked mobile number is active and keep documents such as the member's death certificate, bank account proof (cancelled cheque or passbook) and date-of-birth proof, where applicable, ready.

EPFO said documents must be uploaded in PDF format, with each file not exceeding 2 MB and file names containing no spaces.

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What is the UMANG app?

UMANG (Unified Mobile Application for New-age Governance) is the government's digital services platform that allows users to access EPFO and other government services on their smartphones. It has now become the primary platform for UAN activation and generation using Aadhaar-based Face Authentication.

EPF Scheme 2026

The Centre has notified the Employees' Provident Funds (EPF) Scheme, 2026 under the Code on Social Security, 2020, replacing the EPF Scheme, 1952. While the new framework strengthens the legal foundation, formalises digital services and introduces stricter governance for exempted EPF trusts, it leaves core benefits unchanged for subscribers.

The mandatory 12% EPF contribution, Universal Account Number (UAN), Voluntary Provident Fund (VPF), withdrawal rules, interest rate, nominations and tax treatment remain the same. The scheme also empowers the Centre to temporarily reduce or defer EPF contributions for up to three months during pandemics or national disasters and lays down more detailed compliance requirements for employers and exempted trusts.

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