UAN Number – Employees’ Provident Fund Organization – how to generate and validate UAN number, What are Advantages and Importance of UAN
What is UAN Number?
UAN stands for Universal Account Number. This is a unique number assigned to the employees by the Ministry of Labour and Employment. This is a 12-digit number for the Employee identification for the PF account. The generation of this number has been made mandatory since 2014.
There are two UANs, one for the employer, and the other one for the employee. Both of their UANs are issued by the EPFO.
If in case, one changes the job, the member ID changes, but the UAN number remains the same. But, if you want to link your new member ID with your existing UAN, you need to raise a request, either at the EPFO office or with the employer.
How to check the UAN Number?
If you don’t know your UAN number, you can find out the same through two ways.
1. Through the Employer
2. Through UAN Portal
1. Through UAN Portal
a) Go to the official UAN Login portal and click on the option ‘Know your UAN status’ present on the home screen.
b) You will then be prompted to enter your basic details like your Aadhaar number, License ID, PAN, etc. Alternatively, if you know your member ID/ PF Number fill out another form. Choose the State and EPFO regional offices to know your UAN number.
c) If you have entered the details of your verification documents on the page, then enter the other related details also, like – date of birth, name, current mobile number, captcha code, etc.
d) Click on the tab ‘Get Authorization PIN’ to get the verification PIN on your registered mobile number.
e) Now enter that verification PIN on this portal and click on the tab ‘Validate OTP’.
f) You will then be able to see the UAN button. Click on that to know your UAN (Universal Account Number). You will get a related SMS also. Save it for any future use.
2. Through Employer
You can always ask your employer about your UAN number. However, if you want to know your UAN number instantly, check your Salary Slip. The employer must mention your UAN number on your salary slip. So, this is one of the most easiest ways to know your UAN Number.
3. Through Mobile Number
This process can be used if you don’t have a salary slip handy. This process is quite easy. One just needs to give a missed call from their registered mobile number to 011-22907406. After two rings, the call gets automatically disconnected. You will then get an SMS containing the details of your UAN.
Advantages and Importance of UAN
‘UAN – Employees’ Provident Fund Organization‘ – There are endless advantages related to UAN. A discussion about some of the advantages will help to clarify the importance of having a UAN. Let us discuss some of the advantages of having UAN –
1. Employee Pension Scheme –
Before the introduction of the UAN, employees had to withdraw the PF amount from the EPS. This affected their retirement corpus. But now, with UAN in place, EPS and EPF are both transferred to the new account, without any hassle. This increases the amount to be obtained after retirement.
2. Amount (Fund) Transfer –
Before UAN, the transfer of the amount from the old account to the new PF account was cumbersome and full of hassles. But now the digital process of transfer and associated UAN number has made this process hassle-free. One just needs to submit the KYC detail and the UAN only.
3. Employer Involvement –
Before the UAN introduction, the employer’s involvement in the PF withdrawal process was very annoying. Sometimes, the employer used to take undue advantage of their presence. But with UAN, the process has become employee-centered.
Now, employers can interfere much with the employee’s EPF account. Now, the application needs not to be sent to the previous employer for signature.
4. UAN number remains the same throughout life. It reduces the need for reapplication and recall.
5. All the credits and debits in the PF amount can be checked with just a simple UAN number.
6. With the UAN number, everything related to the PF account can be checked online. It reduces the need of visiting the EPF Office now and then.
UAN number based Questions
No, with the UAN, the employer has no hold over the employee’s PF.
Yes, it is mandatory. This is used for verification.
No. Online services can only be accessed if one has an active UAN account.
There are many documents required for the generation of UAN. Here, I am providing you a list of documents from which some of them might be required for the generation of UAN –
(a) Proof of Identity like an Aadhaar card number, passport, DL, Voter ID, PAN, ESIC card, etc.
(b) Proof of Address – Rent agreement copy, lease agreement, ration card, etc.
(c ) Proof of Bank Account Number – IFSC code, account number, name of the bank, etc.