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EPF interest rate for FY 2025-26 declared: When will it be credited?

rajeev kumar
By Rajeev Kumar

4 min read | Updated on March 02, 2026, 19:38 IST

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SUMMARY

The Labour Ministry says EPFO has been able to declare an interest rate of above 8% for the past several years owing to good returns given by ETF and other investments.

EPF interest rate 2025-26

CBT has decided EPF interest rate for FY 2025-26. | Image source: Shutterstock

The Central Board of Trustees (CBT) of the Employees Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) has kept the EPF interest rate for FY 2025-26 unchanged at 8.25%.

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The Union Minister for Labour & Employment and Youth Affairs & Sports, Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya chaired the 239th meeting of Central Board of Trustees (CBT), Employees’ Provident Fund (EPF) in New Delhi on March 2, 2026.

"After due deliberations, CBT recommended 8.25 % annual rate of interest to be credited on EPF accumulations in members’ accounts for the financial year 2025-26," the Ministry of Labour and Employment said in a release.

When will the interest be credited?

According to the release, the interest rate would be officially notified by the Government of India, following which EPFO would credit the rate of interest into the subscribers’ accounts.

"The interest rate would be officially notified by the Government of India, following which EPFO would credit the rate of interest into the subscribers’ account," it said. This means, it may take a few more months for the actual credit of EPF interest to members' accounts.

Generally, the EPF interest is credited to a member's account after the interest rate decided by the CBT receives the central government's nod.

Last year, the transfer of EPF interest of FY 2024-25 to members' accounts was completed around July. The central government gave its approval for crediting of EPF interest on May 22, 2025.

For FY 2023-24, the process of crediting the EPF interest to members' accounts commenced in August and was completed in December.

The ministry further said that despite global uncertainties, EPFO has maintained strong financial discipline, ensuring stable and competitive returns without straining the interest account.

"The decision benefits crores of workers by strengthening their retirement security, while reaffirming EPFO’s commitment to safeguarding contributions and delivering prudent, sustainable, and attractive returns compared to other similar investment avenues," the ministry said.

How has the EPF been able to offer over 8% return?

The ministry said that EPFO has been able to declare an interest rate of above 8% for the past several years owing to good returns given by ETF and other investments.

"The decision reflects the strong credit profile of EPFO’s investment portfolio and its sustained ability to deliver competitive returns to its members," it said.

Other important decisions

The CBT also approved the following items:

Amnesty Scheme for Exempted Establishments: The Board approved a one-time Amnesty Scheme to address compliance issues arising from income tax–recognized trusts that are yet to be covered or granted exemption under the EPF & MP Act, 1952, duly taking into account the provisions of the Finance Act, 2026.
New simplified SOP on EPF exemption: The Board approved the new simplified SOP on EPF Exemption, consolidating the existing four SOPs and the Exemption Manual into a single comprehensive framework, which aims to reduce compliance burden.
Alignment of existing EPF, EPS & EDLI Schemes with the provisions of Code on Social Security, 2020: CBT has approved the notification of new social security schemes under the Code on Social Security, 2020 to ensure seamless transition from the existing framework. The newly approved EPF Scheme, 2026, EPS, 2026 and EDLI Scheme, 2026 will replace the current schemes and provide a legally robust foundation for administering provident fund, pension and insurance benefits.
Liquidation of Inoperative Accounts in EPF: Under the EPF provisions, an account is treated as inoperative if no contribution is received for a continuous period of three years after the member has attained 55 years of age or from the date of retirement, whichever is later. For liquidation of such accounts, the Board approved a pilot project for auto-initiation of claim settlement in inoperative EPFO accounts with unclaimed balances of Rs 1,000 or less.
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About The Author

rajeev kumar
Rajeev Kumar is a Deputy Editor at Upstox, and covers personal finance stories. In over 11 years as a journalist, he has written over 2,000 articles on topics like income tax, mutual funds, credit cards, insurance, investing, savings, and pension. He has previously worked with organisations like 1% Club, The Financial Express, Zee Business and Hindustan Times.

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