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SuperStream improvements
SuperStream is the way that employers pay contributions, including superannuation guarantee, for their employees. It requires you to provide payments and related data to super funds, including self-managed super funds, electronically in a standard format.
From 1 July 2026, we will upgrade the SuperStream contributions messaging to version 3External Link. This upgrade will help you meet your super guarantee payments and avoid charges and penalties by:
- reducing the likelihood of employees' contributions being rejected by a super fund
- providing clearer error messages when a contribution is rejected by a super fund
- enabling faster payment of contributions
- knowing sooner when important super fund details are changing.
Reducing errors with Member Verification Requests
The Member Verification Request (MVR) is a new SuperStream message.
It will allow your payroll software or clearing house to verify that an employee's super fund details are valid and the fund can accept a super guarantee contribution.
An MVR must be used before making a contribution to a super fund for the first time. Employers may also use the MVR when there has been a change to an employee's information (such as their name). You should not use an MVR before regular contributions if there has not been any change to employee details.
Super funds must respond to an MVR within 24 hours. In the response, they will confirm whether the employee matches an active account and that they can accept your contributions for that employee.
If a super fund can’t accept contributions, the message will let you know why. This may occur if:
- the employee details can't be matched
- the member has left the super fund
- the fund can't accept contributions due to eligibility rules.
If this is the first contribution for a new employee or to a new super fund for an existing employee, you will have 20 business days after the relevant QE day (the day you pay your employee qualifying earnings) to make the contribution. This gives you time to resolve any issues with your employee after you have received the MVR response.
Using the MVR will significantly reduce common errors.
For more information, reach out to your software provider to understand how you can access and use the MVR.
Better error messaging
When errors do occur, timely, clearer and more meaningful error messages will give you the information you need to quickly resolve these errors with your employees, so you can resubmit the contribution.
The way errors are shown and when they are displayed can vary between different products across payroll providers. You can check your payroll provider’s help content or review documentation so you know where you can find errors and how to fix them immediately.
You need to identify and fix errors quickly, ensuring you resubmit the contribution to the correct employee super account to meet the 7 business day timeframe for super guarantee contributions. This timeframe does not reset or extend because there were errors.
Faster payment of contributions
The New Payments Platform (NPP) is a real-time payments platform used across Australia. The NPP improves how quickly a contribution can be received by employees’ super funds.
Contributions made through payroll systems or clearing houses using the NPP could be received by the super fund on the same day you make the payment, reducing payment delays.
Payments made through some service providers may take longer to reach the super fund.
All super funds must be able to receive NPP payments from 1 July 2026. You or your digital service provider will be able to choose to use NPP to make contributions. Some super funds will be ready to receive faster payments before 1 July 2026.
Earlier visibility of super fund changes
Payroll and clearing house software will have access to new information from us that can provide you with early notice of key changes to large super funds' details. For significant changes that affect where contributions are paid for employees, such as fund mergers, you can use this information to plan and manage where contributions need to be paid.
What to do before 1 July 2026
You need to:
- Check with your digital service provider for payroll services on when your software will be ready to support improved error messaging and the new MVR, and any changes you need to make.
- Review error messages you receive from super funds. Any payments you currently make that receive a warning or information message could be rejected after 1 July 2026.
- Review how you pay contributions. Find out when your payroll, clearing house or super fund will be ready to support NPP, if there are any updates you need to make and how long payments will take to reach a super fund.
- Check your default super fund registration details are up to date.
- Stay up to date. Look for updates from the ATO, your digital service provider and your super funds.
Payday Super
These improvements support changes to when and how super guarantee contributions are paid for employees. From 1 July 2026, you will need to pay employees their super guarantee for each payday (instead of each quarter). For more information see Payday Super.
The Small Business Superannuation Clearing House (SBSCH) will close on 1 July 2026. If you use the SBSCH you need to transition to an alternative SuperStream option.