Ask your Aspen advisor:

What Payday Super actually means

Under Payday Super, the big shift is timing.

Right now, most employers pay super quarterly. From 1 July 2026, you’ll need to ensure superannuation guarantee (SG) contributions are paid at or around the same time as wages – in practice, that means near real-time or within a very short window after each pay run.

If super is late or missing, the Superannuation Guarantee Charge (SGC) still applies: catch-up super, plus interest and admin fees. The change doesn’t remove penalties – it just makes it harder for unpaid super to quietly build up.

The policy aims to:

• Reduce unpaid super (billions each year at the moment)

• Help casual and part-time workers see their super land when their wages do

• Give employees more confidence that super is actually being paid, not just promised

Why the Clearing House is shutting

The Small Business Superannuation Clearing House has been a lifeline for many smaller employers – free, simple and run by the ATO.

But it wasn’t built for a world where super needs to move quickly with every pay run. The ATO has confirmed the SBSCH can’t meet the technology and operational requirements of Payday Super, so it will shut on 1 July 2026, with new registrations blocked from 1 October 2025.

That means:

• If you already use the SBSCH, you have a deadline to move
• If you don’t use it, you’ll need to make sure your current method can handle Payday Super anyway

What this will feel like inside your busines

Handled well, this is less “extra admin” and more a change in rhythm.

You’ll likely:

• Process super as part of each pay cycle, not weeks later
• Have a clearer view of staff costs in real time, because wages and super move together
• Need tighter processes so no pay run slips through without the right super attached

If your business has:

• Lots of casual or seasonal staff
• Multiple pay cycles across different teams
• Tight cash flow that’s used to quarterly super

…then this change is especially worth planning for now, not in June 2026.

How to prepare – practical steps

Here’s a sensible checklist to work through with your advisor:



1. Review your payroll software
   Most modern systems (Xero, MYOB, QuickBooks etc.) are building Payday Super into their workflows. Check if super can be triggered automatically with each pay run.
2. Check your current clearing solution

• If you use the SBSCH, pick a replacement early and test it.
• If you use a commercial clearing house, make sure it’s Payday-Super ready.

1. Map your pay cycles
   List your pay dates (weekly, fortnightly, monthly), and work out the likely contribution dates so you know the real deadlines.
2. Stress-test your cash flow
   Talk to us about modelling the impact of more frequent super payments so there are no surprises.
3. Tidy up your data
   Make sure employee details and super fund information are up to date – cleaner data means fewer rejected contributions.

Final thought

Payday Super and the closure of the SBSCH are big shifts, but not bad ones if you get ahead of them. You’ll have cleaner payroll, fewer “end of quarter” shocks, and fewer worries about unpaid super.

If you’d like a simple review of your payroll and super setup – or help choosing a new clearing house – speak with your Aspen advisor. A quick check now can save a scramble later.

General information only. Get advice for your specific situation before acting.