What is Pension Payment Order (PPO) number? Why it is necessary and how you can regain it if lost

Pension Payment Order (PPO) is a unique 12-digit number that is given to every pensioner under the Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO). This number plays a vital role as a reference number for transactions and communications linked with the Employee Pension Scheme (EPS).

The 12-digit number comprises the code of the PPO issuing authority and sequence number. The first five digits represent the code number of the PPO issuing authority and the next two digits refer to the issue year, while the following 4 digits represent the PPO’s sequence number and the last number indicates a digital code.

Importance of PPO number

• The PPO number enables pensioners to keep track of their pension and also it helps to get notified when received.
• PPO number can be received immediately after a pensioner applies for it through the member sewa portal of the EPFO.
• Having the PPO number is also mandatory while submitting the annual life certificate. If an EPS subscriber fails to submit a life certificate it can lead to pension being discontinued.
• It is also mandatory for receiving pension in any new bank account.

How to regain PPO Number if lost?

In case of losing the Pension Payment Order number, the pensioner should retrieve it as soon as possible to continue to receive the pension amount. For regaining the same, the below mentioned steps are needed to be followed:

• Visit the official website of EPFO at www.epfindia.gov.in.
• Navigate to the ‘Online Services’ section and click on ‘Pensioner’s Portal’.
• Select ‘Know Your PPO No.’ option on the redirected page.
• Fill the space with the bank account number that is linked with the Pension Fund. Your member ID is the Pension Fund number.
• After submitting the required details, the PPO number will display on screen.

What is EPS?

Employee Pension Scheme (EPS) is a part of Employee Provident Fund (EPF). It is a pension scheme managed by EPFO that provides retired individuals with financial support and security. It was launched in 1995 with the objective of providing post-retirement security to the salaried individuals. The scheme ensures that the employees get a monthly pension at their reach to the retirement age. This not only benefits the employee but also provides security to his/her family in case of the pensioner’s demise.

Towards the EPFO accounts of an employee, 12 per cent of the basic salary and dearness allowance is contributed towards the provident fund (PF) every month. An equal amount (12 per cent) is also contributed by the employer and out of this 8.33 per cent goes towards EPS while the rest 3.67 per cent is deposited into EPF account.