8.5% PF interest to be credited by end of this month. Check your balance

The Employees’ Provident Fund Organization (EPFO) is expected to credit Employees' Provident Fund or EPF interest for FY 2020-21 against the Provident Fund deposits done by EPFO subscribers. The EPFO is likely to credit 8.5 per cent EPF interest by the end of this month. The retirement fund regulatory body kept the EPF interest rate unchanged for FY 2020-21 as there was more withdrawal than deposits during the entire financial year.

After the Covid-19 outbreak in 2020, the EPFO had reduced PF interest rate in March 2020 to 8.5 per cent for FY 2019-20 — 7 years' low of EPF interest rate. For FY 2018-19, EPF interest rate was 8.65 per cent. For FY 2017-18, EPF interest rate being given to the EPFO subscribers was 8.55 per cent while for FY 2016-17, EPF interest rate given to EPF account holders was 8.65 per cent.

Read: EPFO retains interest rate on deposits at 8.5%

How to check PF balance

1. Through SMS
   An EPFO subscriber can check its EPF account balance by sending an SMS. The PF balance check number is 7738299899 and the text of the SMS format is “EPFOHO UAN ENG." So, an EPF account holder, who has its UAN number, is advised to send SMS in this format to 7738299899. On receipt of the SMS, the EPFO will reply to that SMS with the senders' PF account balance details.
     
2. Through missed call
   The EPFO is running missed call service through its given number 011-22901406. To know one's PF balance, the EPFO subscriber is advised to give a missed call on this number from the registered mobile number. However, one can avail of this service only if the EPFO member has seeded its UAN with the KYC details.