Payday Super - what employers need to know

What is Payday Super?

Payday Super is an Australian Government reform that requires employers to pay superannuation at the same time as salary and wages, rather than quarterly. This change is designed to help employees grow their retirement savings faster and reduce the risk of unpaid or delayed super contributions.

When does Payday Super start?

Payday Super becomes mandatory for all employers on 1 July 2026. 
If you currently pay super quarterly, you can still make your usual quarterly payment in July for wages paid up to 30 June 2026. However, from 1 July 2026 onwards, super contributions must be paid at the same time as wages, following your regular pay cycle – weekly, fortnightly, monthly, etc. 

Can I start Payday Super early?

Yes, and many of our employers are already paying super with each pay cycle. By getting set up now you’ll have more time to test your systems and resolve any issues before the deadline.  
If you choose to start paying super with each pay cycle before 1 July 2026, just make sure the total Superannuation Guarantee (SG) contributions for the quarter are still paid by the usual due date.

Who does Payday Super apply to?

Payday Super applies to all employers in Australia, regardless of size.

What changes with Superannuation Guarantee (SG) calculations?

The Super Guarantee (SG) rate will remain at 12%.
Payday Super introduces Qualifying Earnings (QE) - a new term to describe the types of payments used to calculate SG. 
For most employers, this change will not affect the total SG contributions you currently make for your employees.  
Qualifying Earnings include: 

• Ordinary Time Earnings (OTE) – regular pay for standard hours, plus certain types of paid leave, allowances, bonuses, and lump-sum payments. (The definition of OTE itself doesn’t change under Payday Super.) 
• Commissions – any commission payments made to employees.  
• Salary sacrifice amounts – where the sacrificed amount would have counted as earnings if it hadn’t been redirected to super.  
• Payments to certain contractors – independent contractors treated as employees because they are mainly paid for their labour.

Your payroll system or clearing house should handle this automatically, but it’s a good idea to check that all employee payments are correctly classified.

• Under Payday Super, you must pay super at the same time you pay wages, following your usual pay cycle (weekly, fortnightly, monthly, etc.).  
• Contributions must reach the employee’s super fund with all the required information to allocate to an account within 7 business days of payday.
• For a new employee or when paying into a new fund, you have up to 20 business days after payday for the first payment.
• Once received, funds have 3 business days to allocate the payment or return it if details are missing.
  
  

What do I need to do for new employees under Payday Super?

• You still need to provide new employees with the Choice of Fund form. The stapling process remains the same.  
• If an employee doesn’t choose a fund, you must request their stapled fund details from the ATO.

Note: Different rules apply for some Queensland local government employees (see below).

• For most employees, if they don’t choose a fund, you must request their stapled fund details from the ATO and pay super into that fund.

• Queensland local government employees: Where an employee is covered by the Local Government Act 2009 (Qld) and associated industrial instruments, superannuation arrangements may be prescribed or restricted. In these cases, the standard super stapling requirements may not apply, and employers should follow the superannuation provisions set out under the relevant legislation or award. 

• From 1 July 2026 (expected change), employers may show an employee their existing stapled fund when offering the choice form.  

• For first payments to a new employee or new fund, you have up to 20 business days to make the contribution, allowing time to confirm details and fix errors. 

Many clearing houses or payroll providers, including our partner SuperChoice, will offer automated tools to validate fund details and streamline onboarding.

What are the new ATO reporting requirements for super?

From 1 July 2026, you must include both Qualifying Earnings (QE) and Super Guarantee (SG) amounts in your Single Touch Payroll (STP) reporting for every pay cycle.  
This gives the ATO visibility of contributions as they happen. Most payroll and clearing house systems are expected to update automatically but check with your provider that your system can report QE and SG correctly.

What are the penalties if I pay super late or miss a payment?

A payment is considered late if the employee’s super fund hasn’t received the contribution within 7 business days of payday, including all the required information to allocate it to an account. For first payments to a new employee or a new fund, you have up to 20 business days after payday to make the contribution, allowing time to confirm details and fix errors. 
If you pay late or don’t follow the choice of fund rules, the ATO will apply a Super Guarantee Charge (SGC) for each payday (called a Qualifying Earnings day). In the first year, the ATO has indicated it will take a risk-based compliance approach, focusing on employers who make no effort to comply, while supporting those who act quickly to fix issues.  

Please visit the ATO’s Payday Super page for more information about late contributions and the SGC.

Will the ATO give employers time to adjust before penalties apply?

In the first year of Payday Super, the ATO has indicated it will take a risk-based approach to late or missed payments. This means they’ll focus on employers who make no effort to comply. Employers who make a genuine effort to meet the new rules and resolve problems quickly are less likely to face penalties. After this transition period (1 July 2026 to 30 June 2027), the ATO is expected to enforce penalties more strictly.

How is SuperStream changing under Payday Super?

SuperStream is the national standard for sending super contributions electronically between employers, funds and the ATO. Under SuperStream 3.0, several improvements help reduce errors and speed up processing times:

• Member Verification Request (MVR): Lets you confirm an employee’s super fund details before payment to prevent errors. 

• New Payments Platform (NPP): From 1 July 2026, all super funds must be able to accept NPP transactions, enabling near-instant transfers, often on the same day. 

• Super fund changes: Payroll and clearing house systems will get early alerts about major fund changes, like mergers, so you can redirect contributions quickly. 

Is Brighter Super changing its clearing house partner?

Yes, Brighter Super is consolidating its clearing house services to SuperChoice to help employers comply with Payday Super requirements. 
Important! After 30 June 2026, QuickSuper will no longer be available through Brighter Super. 
Our new clearing house partner, SuperChoice, is available now and offered to all of our employers at no cost.

Can I stay on QuickSuper?

You can use any payroll system or clearing house that is Payday Super compliant. 
QuickSuper will no longer be available at no cost through Brighter Super after 30 June 2026.

When will this change happen?

SuperChoice is ready now for anyone who would like to transition from QuickSuper. Making the transition well before the cut-off will help you to ensure everything is running smoothly before 1 July 2026.

How can I transition from QuickSuper to SuperChoice?

If you’d like to use SuperChoice through Brighter Super, you will need to register. You can sign up through our website.

Will I need to change the Unique Superannuation Identifier (USI) moving to SuperChoice?

The USI to use for Brighter Super members is QLG0001AU. 
If you are using an old Energy Super USI, this will need to be updated to reduce failed or misdirected payments when moving to pay-cycle contributions. 
If your employee has a corporate offer account, they may have provided you with an alternative USI – 23053121564123. Please continue to use this.

If I transition from QuickSuper to SuperChoice, will I need to update our payroll system or change the way I pay our super?

It is not expected that you will need to change your processes for how you use the clearing house. However, you may need to improve some of the data held for your employees to reduce the risk of errors for Payday Super.  
There are two ways to make a payment through SuperChoice:

1. Upload a file from your payroll system. SuperChoice accepts most standard file formats such as Superannuation Alternative File Format (SAFF) which is offered by most payroll providers. If you use the QuickSuper format this is also likely to work for you in SuperChoice. Your first payroll file upload into SuperChoice will populate all the data needed for payments into this system.
2. Enter contribution information manually. You can continue to do this on SuperChoice but will be required to set up your employees for the first time. If you have only a few employees, this will not take long to complete.

Why should I move to SuperChoice now before the legislation comes into effect?

We’re introducing SuperChoice now so you can familiarise yourself with the platform and start using it well before the new rules take effect on 1 July 2026. 
This will help you build confidence in the process and avoid last-minute compliance challenges when Payday Super becomes mandatory.

Why is Brighter Super moving to SuperChoice?

We’ve chosen SuperChoice to reduce manual work, speed up processing, and help you stay compliant with all your super requirements including Payday Super. SuperChoice will also offer: 

• A smooth and secure platform 
• Enhanced detection of fraudulent transactions 
• Clear reporting features, together with streamlined onboarding and super fund functionality selection for new employees. These updates will be rolled out gradually, and we’ll keep you informed of the timeline.

Who is SuperChoice?

SuperChoice is a leading Australian clearing house provider used by thousands of employers. SuperChoice is a trusted, modern platform designed to make compliance simple and efficient. SuperChoice is already utilised by many of Brighter Super’s employers. 

I am currently using SuperChoice through Brighter Super – is that changing?

No. SuperChoice will continue as our clearing house partner.

Is SuperChoice Payday Super compliant?

Yes. SuperChoice will support Payday Super changes.

Is there a cost to use SuperChoice?

No. SuperChoice will be provided to Brighter Super employers at no cost for transactions and the other features offered.

Do I have to use the SuperChoice clearing house platform?

No. You can choose any payroll system or clearing house that is Payday Super compliant, however, SuperChoice is available to all our employers at no cost.

Can I pay super to employees not with Brighter Super on SuperChoice?

Yes. You will be able to make payments to Brighter Super and other funds including self-managed super funds (SMSFs) in one transaction.

How do I register for SuperChoice?

If you’d like to use SuperChoice through Brighter Super you will need to register.  
To register for SuperChoice, you can sign up through our website. The system has training materials available to support you to make payments, add new employees, or tell us that employees have left your employment. 

Will there be new features and, if so, when?

Yes. SuperChoice will offer some new features in the future, and we will communicate when they are available. 

These will include:

• Automation in onboarding new employees and managing super fund selection
• Improved detection of fraudulent transactions.

What is Brighter Super’s Unique Superannuation Identifier (USI) for contributions?

The USI to use for Brighter Super members is QLG0001AU. 
If you are using an old Energy Super USI, this will need to be updated to reduce failed or misdirected payments when moving to pay-cycle contributions. 
If your employee has a corporate offer account, they may have provided you with an alternative USI – 23053121564123. Please continue to use this.  

What is the typical processing time from clearing house submission to when contributions are received in employees’ super accounts?

Once the clearing house receives the submitted file and matching payment, contributions are forwarded to the respective super funds within 24 hours. SuperChoice is also working on implementing the New Payments Platform (NPP) to make payments even faster. 

How do I get help with SuperChoice?  

If you have any questions about SuperChoice contact our Employer Services team on 1800 444 396 or email employers@brightersuper.com.au 

How do I reset my password?

On the login page for the SuperChoice clearing house choose ‘Forgot password’ and follow the prompts to reset your password.

How do I make a contribution?  

There are two ways to make a payment through SuperChoice:  

1. Upload a file from your payroll system. SuperChoice accepts most standard file formats such as Superannuation Alternative File Format (SAFF) which is offered by most payroll providers. If you use the QuickSuper format this is also likely to work for you in SuperChoice. Your first payroll file upload into SuperChoice will populate all the data needed for payments into this system. 
2. Enter contribution information manually. You can continue to do this on SuperChoice but will be required to set up your employees for the first time. If you have only a few employees, this will not take long to complete. 

Resource link: Video – Submitting a contribution – Knowledge Base 

What can I do to ensure there are no delays in the clearing house processing super contributions?

• Make payment on the same day the clearing house contribution data/file is submitted. 
• Include the correct payment reference provided by the clearing house with the EFT payment or New Payments Platform (NPP) payment when available.
• Ensure the EFT payment total matches the file total exactly.
• Make only one payment per submitted file.

I’m using the ATO’s Small Business Superannuation Clearing House (SBSCH) – what’s changing?  

As part of the Payday Super reform, the ATO will close the Small Business Superannuation Clearing House (SBSCH) from 1 July 2026. If you’re using SBSCH you’ll need to choose another option. 
Brighter Super partners with SuperChoice for clearing house services which is provided at no cost for our employers.

Where can I find more information and start to prepare for Payday Super?

On our Payday Super webpage you’ll find information and resources to help you get ready for Payday Super including recorded webinars, FAQs and other helpful links.  
You can also access detailed information about the new Payday Super rules on the ATO website.

Here’s how you can get started and prepare for Payday Super early: 

• Pay more frequent super payments now 
• Ensure your payroll team understand the new rules 
• Check employee data is accurate, your systems are compliant, and if you’re using QuickSuper’s clearing house via Brighter Super, consider transitioning to SuperChoice clearing house now 
• If you’re using the ATO’s Small Business Superannuation Clearing House, look for an alternative. Brighter Super partners withSuperChoice for clearing house services which is provided at no cost for our employers.
• Plan ahead for tighter payment timeframes and cashflow needs.
  
  

Preparing early will help you overcome any issues before the deadline. 
The Brighter Super Employer Services team is here to help you with any questions you have and support you through the transition. 

Who can I speak to if I need help?