Payday Super Is Coming – What Australian Employers Need to Know Before 1 July 2026

March 20, 2026

What is Payday Super?
How Payday Super will work
Changes to the Small Business Super Clearing House
What you need to do now
We’re here to help

From 1 July 2026, a significant change is coming to how superannuation is paid in Australia. The new system, known as Payday Super, will require employers to pay super at the same time as wages instead of quarterly.

For many businesses, this will mean adjusting payroll processes and systems to ensure super contributions are paid more frequently and on time.

Here’s a simple guide to what the change means and how to prepare.

What is Payday Super?

Currently, employers must pay their employees’ Superannuation Guarantee (SG) contributions at least once every quarter.

From 1 July 2026, this will change. Employers will need to pay employees’ super at the same time as their salary or wages are paid.

This reform was introduced to:

Reduce unpaid or late super payments
Improve transparency for employees
Help workers grow their retirement savings through earlier contributions
Give the ATO greater visibility of super compliance

In simple terms, super will become part of every pay run rather than a quarterly task.

How Payday Super will work

Under the new system, employers will be required to process super contributions at the same time as each pay run.

For example:

If employees are paid weekly, super will be processed weekly
If payroll is fortnightly, super will be processed fortnightly
If payroll is monthly, super will be processed monthly

Super payments will generally need to reach the employee’s super fund within seven calendar days of payday.

While the calculation of super remains the same, the key difference is the timing of payments. Instead of batching contributions four times a year, they will be made throughout the year as part of payroll.

For many businesses, modern payroll software already supports this process, which will make the transition much smoother.

Changes to the Small Business Super Clearing House

Many small businesses currently use the Small Business Superannuation Clearing House (SBSCH) to manage super payments.

The SBSCH has been a free online service provided by the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) that allows employers to make super contributions for multiple employees and funds in a single transaction. It was designed for businesses with fewer than 20 employees or an annual turnover under $10 million.

As part of the transition to Payday Super, the Small Business Superannuation Clearing House will close on 1 July 2026.

If you pay superannuation contributions quarterly, then we recommend your super payment for the January-March quarter (due 28 April 2026) be the last payment you make through the SBSCH. After this payment, download your records and use an alternative option.

The April–June quarter payment (due 28 July 2026) cannot be made using the SBSCH after 30 June 2026.

What you need to do now

Although the changes start in July 2026, it’s a good idea to begin preparing early.

Here are a few practical steps to consider:

Review your payroll software
Check whether your current payroll system can process super contributions during each pay run and submit them through SuperStream.

Understand how your super payments are currently managed
If you are using the SBSCH, you will need to plan for an alternative method before the service closes on June 30 for existing users.

Consider the cash flow impact
Because super will be paid more frequently, some businesses may need to adjust cash flow planning and payroll timing.

Talk to your accountant at Colledges

Getting advice early can make the transition much smoother and ensure your systems are compliant before the deadline.