EPF withdrawals via UPI likely soon: How members can transfer funds directly to bank accounts in 3 easy steps

Employees' provident fund withdrawal via UPI payment gateway is likely go live soon! Concerning Employees Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) subscribers, Labour Minister Mansukh Mandaviya told reporters on Wednesday that testing of the facility has been completed and currently the EPFO is taking several initiatives to improve the quality of service delivery. "We have completed the testing of the facility where members can withdraw EPF (employees' provident fund) through the use of the UPI payment gateway. The withdrawn amount will be directly transferred into the bank account of the member," Mandaviya said on Tuesday. The labour ministry has been working on a project where a certain proportion of the EPF will be frozen, and a large chunk will be available for withdrawal through their bank account using UPI. Currently, EPFO has been trying to resolve software glitches for the smooth implementation of this system, which will benefit over seven crore members. At present, EPFO members have to apply for withdrawal claims to access their EPF money, which is time-consuming. Under the auto-settlement mode, the withdrawal claims are settled electronically without manual intervention within three days of filing the application form. The limit of this auto-settlement mode has already been raised to ₹5 lakh from the existing ₹1 lakh. This facilitates a large number of EPFO members to access their EPF money within three days for illness, education, marriage, and housing purposes. The minister also said the EPFO plans to use WhatsApp to improve communication with members and make its services easier and faster to access. The major reasons for using the WhatsApp channel for communications include its use by most mobile users. Under this facility, the members can simply type 'Hello' to EPFO's registered WhatsApp number, which is verified by a green tick mark for safety and assurance, to initiate the conversation with EPFO. They can also choose to receive messages from EPFO on their mobile number registered with EPFO. Sanchari Ghosh is an Assistant Editor at Mint with over 12 years of experience in journalism, specialising in personal finance, DLT & DeFi, geopolitics and foreign policy, with a particular emphasis on how these areas intersect. <br> She writes extensively about how money works in everyday life—helping readers navigate personal finance decisions. <br> As AI reshapes investing behaviour, capital is increasingly flowing into decentralized ecosystems, redefining how assets are managed, traded, and valued. She focuses on explaining how money flows within frameworks like Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT), DeFi protocols, and crypto markets—while also exploring what the future of money could look like in a trustless, programmable financial world. <br> She also focuses on immigration-related issues, simplifying complex topics around visas, passports, overseas financial planning, and the many practical challenges Indians face while moving or living abroad. <br> Alongside personal finance, Sanchari has a strong understanding of international politics, contemporary and historical conflicts, and global state decisions. She closely tracks how geopolitical developments influence economies, markets, and individual financial choices, bringing together finance and global affairs in her reporting. <br> She began her career as a desk editor, which gave her a strong foundation in news writing. Over time, her interest naturally shifted toward personal finance. Before joining Mint in 2020, she worked DNA, The Times of India, Outlook Money, BloombergQuint, and ETMoney. At Mint, she got an opportunity to expand her coverage to include immigration and geopolitical developments while continuing to closely follow personal finance trends and market movements.As a journalist, she is committed to accuracy, intellectual rigour, and fairness. <br> She is an English Major and her work took her across cities including Delhi, Mumbai, and Pune. Living independently from an early age gave her firsthand experience in managing life and money on her own. This practical exposure sparked her strong interest in personal finance. <br> Outside the newsroom, Sanchari is a sports enthusiast who regularly plays lawn tennis and squash. In her younger years, she was also a national-level badminton player. Catch all the Instant Personal Loan, Business Loan, Business News, Money news, Breaking News Events and Latest News Updates on Live Mint. Download The Mint News App to get Daily Market Updates. Oops! Looks like you have exceeded the limit to bookmark the image. Remove some to bookmark this image.