Payday Super - What Employers Need to Know
From 1 July 2026, one of the biggest changes to super in decades kicks in: Payday Super. Employers will need to pay super at the same time as wages (not quarterly), with contributions required to land in an employee's fund within 7 business days of payday.
At the same time, the ATO's Small Business Superannuation Clearing House (SBSCH) is closing for good on 30 June 2026. If you're currently using it, you'll need a new clearing house or integrated payroll solution sorted before then.
What's actually changing
Super becomes part of every pay run instead of a quarterly task. It's a bigger shift to your process, but it also means fewer surprises - super gets ticked off regularly instead of piling up as a quarterly obligation, and your team gets confidence their entitlements are showing up on time.
What to check before 1 July
Does your payroll system process super alongside wages, or will it need adjusting?
Do you have a compliant clearing house solution ready to replace the SBSCH?
Is your cash flow planning built around weekly/fortnightly super, not quarterly lump sums?
Do you understand the 7-business-day rule? (Example: pay your team on 14 July for the week ending 12 July - that super needs to be with their fund by 21 July, regardless of when the work was done.)
What happens if you're late
Missed deadlines now trigger a Superannuation Guarantee Charge (SGC), calculated on an employee's Qualifying Earnings (QE), with daily compounding interest, a potential 60% admin charge on the shortfall, and further penalties if amounts remain unpaid after 28 days. It's a much sharper system than the old quarterly catch-up.
The SG rate is also going up
From 1 July 2026, the Super Guarantee rate rises to 12% of an employee's Qualifying Earnings - a new measure combining Ordinary Time Earnings with certain other payments counted for super purposes.
Where we come in
Now's the time to get your payroll process ready - not 30 June. If you want help reviewing your systems, transitioning off the SBSCH, setting up a compliant clearing house, or just understanding how this affects your business, give us a call.
Prepared by Hurney Partners
Accounting & Financial Services
Making tax less taxing.
Contact us:
📞 07 4061 1085
📧 enquiries@hurneypartners.com.au
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