The Universal Account Number (UAN) is essential for EPF account holders because the entire process of Employee Provident Fund (EPF) services is now conducted online.
With the help of UAN, you can easily access your PF account services such as withdrawal, verifying EPF balance without the assistance of an employer, and applying for a PF loan.
This article covers everything an employer needs to know about your Universal Account Number.
What is UAN number?UAN is an EPFO-assigned 12-digit Universal Account Number. The UAN serves as a catch-all for the various Member IDs assigned to an employee by various organisations. The notion is to club together all of the Member Identification Numbers (Member ID) assigned to a specific member under a single UAN. This allows the member to see the details of all the Member Identification Numbers (Member Id) associated with it. If a member already has a Universal Account Number (UAN), he or she must provide it when joining a new establishment so that the employer can link the newly assigned Member Identification Number (Member ID) can be linked to the previously assigned Universal Account Number (UAN). |
How to generate UAN number?
If a company has 20 or more employees and an individual enters a company for the first time, the employer must have the UAN generated for him.
If the employee previously had a UAN assigned to him, he must provide the information to the new employer.
Before initiating the process of generating a UAN number, ensure you have these documents handy with you –
- Bank account number, branch name, and IFSC code PAN Card Aadhaar Card;
- Address Proof (any government-issued document), such as a photo ID, ration card, etc.;
- ID proof (any government-issued document) such as a voter ID, driver’s licence, passport, Aadhar card, etc.;
- If you have an account, you can get an ESIC card.
The following steps must be taken by the employer to generate a new UAN for the employee:
- Enter the Establishment ID and password to access the EPF Employer Portal.
- In the “Member” section, select the “Register Individual” tab.
- Enter the employee’s information, like PAN, Aadhaar, and bank account information.
- All details in the “Approval” section must be approved.
- EPFO generates a new UAN, and the employer can link the employee’s PF account to the UAN.
How to activate UAN number?
After generating the UAN, an employee can activate it as follows:
- Go to the UAN portal and select ‘Activate UAN.’
- To activate a UAN number, enter your UAN, PAN, and Aadhaar number.
- Also, as requested on the page, employees need to enter their personal information and mobile phone number.
- Employees will receive a verification pin on their registered mobile number.
- They need to enter this pin and then press the ‘Authorize and Activate’ button.
- This number can be activated through the EPFO app also known as the Unified Mobile Application for New-age Generation (UMANG).
Features of UAN
- A UAN aid in the consolidation of employee data across the country.
- It reduces the EPF organization’s load of employee verification from employers.
- This account enabled EPFO to extract the member’s bank account details and KYC without the assistance of the employers.
- EPFO can use UAN to track an employee’s multiple job changes.
- With the implementation of UAN, ill-timed and premature EPF withdrawals have decreased significantly.
Advantages of UAN
The following are the features and advantages of the Universal Account Number:
- UAN makes it easier to find all of your PF account information in one place. It also collects all PF information and KYC on a single platform.
- Employers can also use an employee’s Universal Account Number to learn about their Provident Fund history.
- It is simple to activate the UAN number using your bank account and identity information.
- Employees can transfer and withdraw PF funds at any time using this unique number.
- The UAN web platform allows an employee and your employer to manage your PF account.
- An employer can verify and validate an employee’s PF request through the UAN portal. Additionally, the employer can effectively submit the PF deduction/contribution on the portal.
- Because a UAN account is linked to an employee’s KYC information, only the employee has access to it.
- A UAN is independent of all employers and serves as an employee’s unique identification number.
- An employee can use UAN to check their PF balance, statuses, claims, and much more, allowing them to manage their entire PF account.
- An employee can use this identification number to keep track of the amount credited by the employer each month, as well as deductions and accrued interest.
Steps to be followed by the employers
Employers need to follow the steps explained below as a standard process:
- Download the UAN list
- Disseminate the UAN to members
- For recurring UAN generation and/or subsequent UAN linking, complete Form-11 (to confirm previous employment)
- Create a text file with the revised structure (attached at the end of this manual) to upload bulk KYC
- Save the bulk KYC text file to your computer
- Check the Error List if there were any errors when uploading the bulk KYC text file.
- Make any necessary changes to your text file and re-upload it
- Accept the PDF that was generated automatically. Before proceeding, the user must first register the Digital Signature Certificate
- Keep updating incomplete member details, such as records missing DOB, DOJ, and Father’s/Husband’s name
- Create a PDF after filling in the blanks
- Sign with a digital signature certificate and approve
FAQs by employers regarding UAN and EPF
Who issues a UAN number?
Employees’ Fund Organization (EPFO) is the only organisation that issues Universal Account Numbers (UAN).
To whom is UAN assigned?
UANs are assigned to all EPFO contributory members and distributed through employers.
How is UAN issued?
EPFO has already assigned a Universal Account Number to each of the PF Account Numbers appearing in the ECR from January 2014 to June 2014, and it is now accessible to employees on OTCP (https://www.epfindia.gov.in/site_en/OTCP_ForEmployers.php).
Which portal handles UAN and KYC?
Employers can use OTCP to access UAN and manage KYC. The website address is https://employerclaims.epfoservices.in/
How can employers view the UANs assigned to their employees?
Yes, employers can see the UANs issued by EPFO to members of their establishment.
All you need to do is go to the UAN Menu and select the ‘Download UAN List’ option. Simply click ‘Download UAN List’ to see the UANs assigned to your members.
You can also download the PDF via the link available on the right side of the page.
When you click on this link, you will be redirected to a page with five download options. Choose the appropriate option and download the PDF.
Is there a revision in the Online ECR Return Filing via ECR Portal?
No, there are no changes to filing online ECR Returns via the ECR Portal.
Is it still necessary for employers to provide new employees with a new member ID?
Yes, a new member ID must be assigned as per the current procedure.
Can individuals use EPFO’s online services without first activating their UAN?
Individuals cannot use EPFO’s online services without first activating their UAN.
Is it necessary for employees to connect their Aadhaar to UAN?
Yes, linking UAN with Aadhaar is required to speed up the UAN verification process.
When employees change jobs, can employers withhold PF?
No, employers cannot withhold employees’ PF even when they’re no longer employed by them.
On a concluding note
UAN numbers are an excellent way for employees to keep track of their PF funds and help them save money in a safe and secure manner throughout their careers. Furthermore, taking the digital route of using the UAN portal and app allows employees to maintain and supervise the money available in their PF fund.
