The housing provident fund refers to the equal contributions made by state agencies and institutions, state-owned enterprises, urban collective enterprises, foreign-invested enterprises, urban private enterprises and other urban enterprises and institutions, private non-enterprise units, social groups and their employees.

Long-term housing savings.

The definition of housing provident fund includes the following five aspects: (1) Housing provident fund is only established in cities and towns, and no housing provident fund system is established in rural areas.

(2) The housing provident fund system is established only for current employees.

The housing provident fund system is not applicable to unemployed urban residents and retired employees.

(3) The housing provident fund consists of two parts, one part is paid by the employer where the employee works, and the other part is paid by the individual employee.

After the employee's personal contribution is withheld by the unit, it is deposited into the housing provident fund's personal account together with the unit's contribution.

(4) The long-term nature of housing provident fund deposits.

Once the housing provident fund system is established, employees must make uninterrupted contributions in accordance with the regulations while on the job. Except for the employee's retirement or other circumstances stipulated in the "Housing Provident Fund Management Regulations", it shall not be suspended or interrupted.

It reflects the stability, uniformity, standardization and mandatory nature of the housing provident fund.

(5) Housing provident fund is a personal housing savings deposited by employees in accordance with regulations and specifically used for housing consumption expenditures.

Legal basis: Article 3 of the "Housing Provident Fund Management Regulations": The housing provident fund paid by individual employees and the housing provident fund paid by the employee's unit for employees belong to the individual employee.

Article 4 of the "Housing Provident Fund Management Regulations": The management of housing provident funds shall be based on the principles of decision-making by the housing provident fund management committee, operation of the housing provident fund management center, storage in special bank accounts, and financial supervision.

Article 5 of the "Housing Provident Fund Management Regulations": The housing provident fund shall be used for the purchase, construction, renovation and overhaul of self-occupied housing by employees, and no unit or individual may misappropriate it for other purposes.

Article 6 of the "Housing Provident Fund Management Regulations": The deposit and loan interest rates of the housing provident fund shall be proposed by the People's Bank of China, and shall be submitted to the State Council for approval after soliciting the opinions of the construction administrative department of the State Council.

Warm reminder: The above answers are only based on the current information and my understanding of the law. Please refer to it with caution!

If you still have questions about this issue, it is recommended that you sort out the relevant information and communicate with professionals in detail.