The ATO has revealed that almost $1.1 billion in unpaid super has been returned to nearly one million Australians across the 2024-25 financial year. In the same financial year, $209 million were raised in penalties.
Paying correct super entitlements on time is no longer optional according to the the ATO. With the introduction of Payday Super to take effect on 1 July 2026, this will be further strengthened.
Action taken by the ATO
Reminders and prompts
- Through 120,000 employer reminders, 73,600 prompts to employers, and 15,350 audit cases, the ATO raised a total of $795 million in SGC in 2024-25
- Around 22,550 “firmer actions” were also taken against employers who were non-compliant with their super guarantee obligations
Compliance requirements
In Australia, there are about 942,500 employers who employ some 14.9 million workers eligible for super. Employers are required to pay superannuation for their eligible workers in full, on time and to the right fund.
The ATO has confirmed that due to the improved access to “near-real-time” single touch payroll and superannuation fund data, there are now better ways to detect and resolve non-compliance.
Be Aware
With the introduction of Payday Super this will allow the ATO to detect unpaid super earlier and act accordingly. “For those businesses who don’t want to pay, the ATO will be able to take action faster to protect their employees’ super entitlements.”
Need help?
If you need help in understanding your superannuation obligations as an employer, please contact our team ASAP. The penalties for not doing so can be quite harsh. We are here to support you in ensuring you are compliant.