Business
EPF Withdrawal Rule Changes 2025: Here’s What EPFO 3.0 Means For You, Know Key Updates
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EPFO 3.0 allows instant 75% withdrawal for unemployed, 12-month service for partial withdrawals, and more withdrawals for education and marriage.
PF Withdrawal Rules.
EPFO 3.0 Updates 2025 Latest News: The Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) has introduced new partial withdrawal rules under the upgraded EPFO 3.0 system, bringing more uniformity and flexibility for subscribers. The decision to amend the scheme was taken by the apex decision-making body of the Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO), the Central Board of Trustees headed by Labour Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, in a meeting held on October 13.
Here’s a detailed look at what’s new:
1. Continuous Unemployment
Under the previous rules, members could withdraw 75% of their EPF balance after one month of unemployment and the remaining 25% after two months.
Now, under EPFO 3.0, members can withdraw 75% of their balance immediately, while the full withdrawal can be made after 12 months of continuous unemployment.
2. Pension Withdrawal After Job Loss
Earlier, pension withdrawal was allowed after two months of unemployment. Under the new rules, the waiting period has been extended. Members can now withdraw their pension amount only after 36 months.
3. Lockout or Closure of Establishment
Previously, withdrawals in case of a lockout or closure were limited to not exceeding the employee’s share or up to 100% of the total share.
Now, 75% of the EPF corpus can be withdrawn, while 25% must be retained as a minimum balance.
4. Epidemic or Pandemic
Earlier, members could withdraw up to three months’ basic wages and dearness allowance (BW + DA) or 75% of their balance, whichever was lower. The new rules maintain similar conditions but align them with the new standardised service requirements.
5. Natural Calamity
Previously, withdrawals were capped at Rs 5,000 or 50% of the member’s own contribution with interest, whichever was less. Under the new framework, minimum service tenure for all partial withdrawals, including this category, is standardised to 12 months.
6. Medical Treatment (Self or Family)
Earlier, members could withdraw up to six months’ BW and DA or the employee’s share, whichever was less, and this could be done more than once. The new rules retain this structure but fall under the uniform 12-month service condition.
7. Education and Marriage
Under the old rules, EPF subscribers could withdraw up to 50% of their contribution after seven years of membership. Withdrawals were permitted three times (for education) and two times (for marriage) during their service.
Under EPFO 3.0, the frequency limit has been increased. Education withdrawals allowed up to 10 times, and marriage-related withdrawals up to 5 times during service.
8. Purchase or Construction of House / Purchase of Site
Earlier, this was allowed after 24-36 months of service, up to the total of BW + DA or the cost of construction, whichever was less, and only once.
Now, with the new standardised rule, a minimum of 12 months of service is required for all partial withdrawals.
9. Addition/ Alteration/ Improvement in House
Previously, members could withdraw up to 12 months’ BW and DA or their employee’s share, whichever was less. The same conditions continue under the new uniform system.
10. Housing Loan Repayment
Earlier, members could withdraw up to 36 months’ BW + DA or total balance or outstanding loan, whichever was less, once during their service. The new EPFO 3.0 system retains the same criteria but simplifies the process for digital requests.
11. Purchase of Dwelling House or Flat
Earlier, up to 90% of the total share with interest or cost of acquisition could be withdrawn once. The same conditions remain, with digital processing expected to make transactions smoother.
Key Highlights of EPFO 3.0 Withdrawal Framework
Uniform Service Tenure: The minimum service requirement for all partial withdrawals has now been standardised to 12 months, replacing the earlier range of 2–7 years, depending on the purpose.
Minimum Balance Rule: Members must now retain at least 25% of their EPF corpus after withdrawal.
Frequency Flexibility: The frequency for withdrawals related to education and marriage has been increased, giving members more flexibility during important life stages.
Instant Withdrawal Facility: Under the new system, members facing unemployment can access 75% of their balance immediately, providing crucial liquidity during job loss.
Haris is Deputy News Editor (Business) at news18.com. He writes on various issues related to personal finance, markets, economy and companies. Having over a decade of experience in financial journalism, Haris h…Read More
Haris is Deputy News Editor (Business) at news18.com. He writes on various issues related to personal finance, markets, economy and companies. Having over a decade of experience in financial journalism, Haris h… Read More
October 20, 2025, 12:44 IST
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High street fashion giant Next has bought shoe retailer Russell & Bromley which had collapsed in to administration.
Next paid £2.5m in a rescue deal for the upmarket British footwear and accessories seller — but the future for most of the chain’s current staff and shops remains uncertain
Next will own the brand and three of Russell & Bromley’s 36 stores, as well as some existing stock for which it is paying an additional £1.3m.
Administrators Interpath said it was considering the future of the remaining stores, which for the moment remain open, as well as nine concession stores which all employ around 400 people.
Russell & Bromley’s chief executive Andrew Bromley said it was a “difficult decision” but the sale of the brand was the best way to secure its future.
The company is around 150 years old but has become the latest to struggle in a tough retail environment.
It joins other brands in a familiar path to largely disappearing off the high street via a process of administration, which means companies are often broken up and the highest value assets sold off to the highest bidder.
The Original Factory Shop and accessories retailer Claire’s are both currently going through a process of administration, with site closures and jobs at risk. Around 1,000 people lost their jobs after Bodycare collapsed in September, while River Island will close some stores to avoid a total collapse. The woes all come after a tranche of high profile closures such as Debenhams and Wilko.
In a statement, Next said it secured “the future of a much loved British footwear brand.”
“Next intends to build on this legacy and provide the operational stability and expertise to support Russell & Bromley’s next chapter, allowing it to return to its core mission: the design and curation of world-class, premium footwear and accessories for many years to come.”
The three stores Next will acquire are in high-end shopping destinations in or around London: Chelsea, Mayfair and Kent.
Next has seen relatively solid performance in the current turbulent retail landscape – unlike Russell & Bromley which has been loss-making in recent years.
Its saviour has experience in failing circumstances: last year, Next bought out of administration fashion maternity label Seraphine, and began rolling out its FatFace concessions a few years after snapping it up.
MUMBAI: Nearly four out of five of India’s leading young entrepreneurs are self-made, underscoring a shift in the country’s business landscape from inheritance to merit, according to the Avendus Wealth – Hurun India Uth Series 2025. The report shows that about 80% of business leaders under 40 featured in the ranking are first-generation founders.The study tracks entrepreneurs aged up to 40 whose companies meet minimum valuation thresholds ranging from $25 million to $200 million, based on age cohort and whether the founder is first- or next-generation. Of the 436 entrepreneurs shortlisted, 349 are self-made, pointing to a growing ecosystem driven by new ideas and technology rather than legacy ownership.Among first-generation founders, Ritesh Agarwal, founder of OYO, leads the list. At 31, Agarwal has built one of the most capitalised startups in the country, raising $3.7 billion. He is followed by Aadit Palicha and Kaivalya Vohra, both 22, whose quick-commerce firm Zepto has raised $1.95 billion.Other prominent first-generation entrepreneurs include Nikhil Kamath of Zerodha, now among India’s most-followed entrepreneurs on LinkedIn; Alakh Pandey of Physics Wallah, who disrupted the ed-tech space; and Ghazal Alagh, the most-followed woman entrepreneur on the list.Next-generation leaders account for about 20% of the ranking and continue to shape large family-run businesses. Key names include Isha Ambani of Reliance Retail, which employs more than 2.47 lakh people; Abhyuday Jindal, who is driving sustainability initiatives at Jindal Stainless; and Vidhi Shanghvi, who recently led Sun Pharmaceutical’s $355 million acquisition of US-based Checkpoint Therapeutics.The report categorises entrepreneurs across three age groups—under 30, under 35 and under 40. Together, the companies led by these 436 entrepreneurs are valued at more than $950 billion, higher than Switzerland’s GDP. Bengaluru tops the list with 109 entrants, followed by Mumbai with 87 and New Delhi with 45. Software products and services dominate with 77 entrepreneurs, ahead of financial services and healthcare, highlighting the tilt toward digital and technology-led businesses.
Kevin PeacheyCost of living correspondent
Getty ImagesThe Bank of England has cut interest rates from 4% to 3.75%, the lowest level since February 2023.
Analysts are divided about whether the Bank will cut again when it next meets in February.
Interest rates affect mortgage, credit card and savings rates for millions of people.
What are interest rates and why do they change?
An interest rate tells you how much it costs to borrow money, or the reward for saving it.
The Bank of England’s base rate is what it charges other banks and building societies to borrow money, which influences what they charge their own customers for mortgages as well as the interest rate they pay on savings.
The Bank moves interest rates up and down in order to keep UK inflation – the rate at which prices are increasing – at or near 2%.
When inflation is above that target, the Bank typically puts rates up. The idea is that this encourages people to spend less, reducing demand for goods and services and limiting price rises.
What has been happening to UK interest rates and inflation?
The main inflation measure, CPI, has dropped significantly since the high of 11.1% recorded in October 2022.
However, it was 3.4% in the year to December 2025 – up from 3.2% in November, and slightly higher than analysts had expected.
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) – which measures inflation – said the increase was driven by higher tobacco prices and the cost of airfares over the Christmas and New Year period.
The Bank of England’s base rate reached a recent high of 5.25% in 2023. It remained at that level until August 2024, when the Bank started cutting.
Five cuts brought rates down to 4%, before the Bank held rates at its meetings in September and November 2025 before the December cut.
Are interest rates expected to fall again?
Most analysts had expected the December cut, but the vote among members of the nine-member monetary policy committee (MPC) was divided, with only five in favour.
The Bank said rates were likely to continue dropping in the future, but warned decisions on further cuts in 2026 would be contested.
“We still think rates are on a gradual path downward but with every cut we make, how much further we go becomes a closer call,” said the Bank’s governor Andrew Bailey.
If inflation continues to rise – or just fails to fall – further rate cuts are less likely.
Mr Bailey has also repeatedly warned about the continuing impact of US tariffs, and political uncertainty around the world.
The next interest rate decision is on Thursday 5 February.
How do interest rate cuts affect mortgages, loans and savings rates?
Getty ImagesMortgages
Just under a third of households have a mortgage, according to the government’s English Housing Survey.
About 500,000 homeowners have a mortgage that “tracks” the Bank of England’s rate. A 0.25 percentage point cut is likely to mean a reduction of £29 in the monthly repayments for the average outstanding loan.
For the additional 500,000 homeowners on standard variable (SVR) rates – assuming their lender passed on the benchmark rate cut – there would typically be a £14 a month fall in monthly payments for the average outstanding loan.
But the vast majority of mortgage customers have fixed-rate deals. While their monthly payments aren’t immediately affected by a rate change, future deals are.
Mortgage rates have been falling recently, partly owing to the expectation the Bank would cut rates in December.
As of 21 January, the average two-year fixed residential mortgage rate was 4.77%, according to financial information company Moneyfacts. A five-year rate was 4.87%.
The average two-year tracker rate was 4.41%.
About 800,000 fixed-rate mortgages with an interest rate of 3% or below are expected to expire every year, on average, until the end of 2027. Borrowing costs for customers coming off those deals are expected to rise sharply.
Mortgage calculator
You can see how your mortgage may be affected by future interest rate changes by using our calculator:
Credit cards and loans
Bank of England interest rates also influence the amount charged on credit cards, bank loans and car loans.
Lenders can decide to reduce their own interest rates if Bank cuts make borrowing costs cheaper.
However, this tends to happen very slowly.
Getty ImagesSavings
The Bank base rate also affects how much savers earn on their money.
A falling base rate is likely to mean a reduction in the returns offered to savers by banks and building societies.
The current average rate for an easy access savings account is 2.45%, according to Moneyfacts.
Any further cut in rates could particularly affect those who rely on the interest from their savings to top up their income.
What is happening to interest rates in other countries?
In recent years, the UK has had one of the highest interest rates in the G7 – the group representing the world’s seven largest so-called “advanced” economies.
In June 2024, the European Central Bank (ECB) started to cut its main interest rate for the eurozone from an all-time high of 4%.
At its meeting in June 2025 the ECB cut rates by 0.25 percentage points to 2% where they have remained.
The US central bank – the Federal Reserve – has cut interest rates three times since September 2025, taking them to the current range of 3.5% to 3.75%, the lowest since 2022.
President Trump had repeatedly attacked the Fed for not cutting earlier.
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