Employees' Pension Scheme 2026: Minimum ₹1,000 Monthly Pension & Benefits

At a glance

About the scheme

Administered by the Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) under the Ministry of Labour and Employment, the Employees' Pension Scheme 2026 is a social security programme established under the Code on Social Security, 2020. The scheme provides long-term financial stability to formal sector employees through superannuation, early retirement, and disablement pensions, while also securing surviving families through widow, children, orphan, and nominee pensions. It primarily covers employees earning up to ₹15,000 per month who have contributed to the pension fund for a minimum of 10 years.

Benefits

• Superannuation pension payable at 58 years with at least 10 years of service, calculated as (Pensionable Salary × Pensionable Service) / 70.
• Early pension available between 50 and 58 years of age, reduced by 4% for every year below 58.
• Guaranteed minimum pension of ₹1,000 per month, subject to reductions for commutation or early claim.
• Deferred pension increments of 4% per year for members delaying pension beyond 58 years up to 60 years.
• Widow pension equal to 50% of the member's pension or a minimum of ₹1,000 per month.
• Children pension at 25% of the widow pension per child (maximum 2 children) up to 25 years of age, with no age cap for totally disabled children.
• Orphan pension at 75% of the widow pension (maximum 2 orphans) up to 25 years of age, extendable for disability.
• Permanent total disablement pension of at least ₹1,000 per month if disability occurs while in service.
• Nominee or dependent parent pension of at least ₹1,000 per month or equal to the widow pension if the member has no family.
• Withdrawal benefit calculated as per Table D for members exiting service before completing 10 years (accessible after 36 months).

Who can apply (eligibility)

• Applicant must be a member of the Employees' Provident Fund Scheme, 2026, or an exempted establishment under Section 143 of the Code on Social Security, 2020.
• Monthly salary must not exceed ₹15,000 (unless contributing an additional 1.16% above this limit).
• Applicant must have completed at least 10 years of eligible contributory service to qualify for pension.
• For superannuation pension, the applicant must have attained 58 years of age.
• For early pension, the applicant must be between 50 and 58 years of age with 10 years of service.
• For family pension, the deceased member must have contributed for at least one month.

Documents required

• Proof of Identity (Aadhaar card, Passport, or Voter ID)
• Bank Account Details (cancelled cheque or passbook copy)
• Proof of Date of Birth (birth certificate or school leaving certificate)
• Death Certificate of the member (for family pension)
• Proof of relationship with the deceased member (for family pension)
• Disability Certificate from EPFO-approved doctors (for disablement pension)
• Service Proof (EPF passbook, employment records, or Scheme Certificate)

How to apply

1. 1Activate your Universal Account Number (UAN) via the EPFO Unified Portal or UMANG App and complete KYC verification with Aadhaar, PAN, and bank details.
2. 2Log in to the EPFO Unified Portal using your UAN, password, and mobile OTP.
3. 3Navigate to 'Online Services' and select 'Form 10D' to open the pension application form.
4. 4Enter all required member details and upload scanned copies of supporting documents in PDF, JPEG, or PNG format under 2 MB.
5. 5Verify your submission using the OTP sent to your Aadhaar-linked mobile number and save the generated acknowledgement number.

Frequently asked questions