If your business currently uses the ATO’s Small Business Superannuation Clearing House (SBSCH) to manage employee super contributions, there are some important changes ahead. The SBSCH will be phased out as part of the government’s payday super reforms, and businesses will need to transition to an alternative before July 2026.

Key dates to be aware of

1 October 2025: New business registrations for the SBSCH will close.

30 June 2026: Final date existing users can submit contributions through the SBSCH.

1 July 2026: The SBSCH will be fully decommissioned.

These dates align with the introduction of new legislation requiring employers to pay superannuation contributions at the same time as employee wages, rather than quarterly. Under these rules, super payments must reach employees’ funds within seven days of each payday.

The SBSCH was built for a quarterly system and is not designed to support this more frequent payment model. As a result, the ATO will no longer support it beyond the transition period.

What this means for your business

If you’re among the more than 200,000 small businesses currently using the SBSCH, here’s what to consider:

• You will need to adopt a new super payment solution by 30 June 2026.
• Alternative options may involve fees – the SBSCH is free, but most replacements are not.
• Super payments will need to be processed more frequently and within tighter timeframes.
• Your payroll processes will need to accommodate super payments as part of each pay cycle.

Exploring your options

1. Payroll software with integrated super payments
Many modern payroll systems include super payment functionality. If you’re already using payroll software, this may offer the most seamless transition. These systems often allow super to be processed with minimal effort immediately after payroll is run.

See instructions below for popular payroll software applications.

QuickBooks Online	Reckon	Xero
Setting up Super Payments with Beam in QuickBooks Online	Reckon SuperStream | Powered by Beam	Register for automatic superannuation payments – Xero Central
Set up Super Payments with Beam in QuickBooks Payroll	Using Beam for SuperStream in Reckon One – Reckon Help and Support Centre	Process automatic superannuation payments – Xero Central
Create, view, and run reports on Super Payments using Beam in QuickBooks Online

2. Clearing house services from super funds
Some superannuation funds offer free clearing house services to registered employers. These allow you to make contributions to multiple funds via a single platform. However, you may need to upload data manually or through file transfers from your payroll system.

3. Independent commercial clearing houses
These services generally offer more advanced features, especially for businesses with more complex needs or higher volumes of transactions. While they typically charge fees, they often include strong compliance tools and efficient processing.

Start planning early

Although the SBSCH will remain available until mid-2026, the ATO encourages employers to start planning their transition now. Taking early action will give your business time to test new systems, adjust internal processes, and resolve any issues well ahead of the deadline.

If you’d like support reviewing your options or setting up a new superannuation payment process, please contact us.