Superannuation changes in FY25: What employers need to know

June 5, 2025
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4 min read

As we approach the new financial year, it’s essential for Australian employers to stay across confirmed superannuation changes for FY25. From rate increases to new government-funded contributions, being prepared now means smoother compliance and fewer surprises come July.

Here’s what’s officially changing in FY25—and how Microkeeper can support your payroll setup through it.

Super guarantee rate increase: 12%

From 1 July 2025, the Superannuation Guarantee (SG) rate will increase from 11.5% to 12%. This marks the final step in the government’s long-term plan to incrementally raise the SG from 9.5% to 12%, an initiative aimed at boosting retirement savings for millions of Australians. 

What this means for you

  • Payroll systems must calculate SG at 12% for all eligible earnings from July 1 onwards. 
  • Budgets and cash flow forecasting may need adjusting. 

This change may have particular implications for:

  • Small businesses with tight cash flow margins.
  • Employers offering salary-inclusive packages.
  • High-volume payroll teams needing automated updates

In Microkeeper

  • System default SG settings will automatically update to 12%.
  • For custom pay conditions or salary packages (e.g inclusive of super), check your configurations before EOFY. 

Government to Pay Super on Paid Parental Leave (from 1 July 2025)

Starting 1 July 2025, the Federal Government will begin paying superannuation on Commonwealth Paid Parental Leave (PPL) for eligible parents—a significant policy shift aimed at improving retirement outcomes for carers, particularly women.

Key details

  • Applies to PPL for births or adoptions on or after 1 July 2025.
  • Super will be paid at the SG rate (12%) on the PPL amount.
  • This payment will be made by the government directly to super funds, not by employers.

What this means for employers

  • No direct action required—super will not be added to your payroll obligations.
  • Still important to track PPL periods accurately in case of future reporting or employee queries.

Why it matters

  • Helps close the super gap for women and primary carers.
  • Reinforces the importance of including parental leave tracking in your workforce data. 
  • Supports long-term gender equity initiatives tied to financial security.

More from the ATO. 

Employee eligibility rules: no change in FY25

There are no new eligibility thresholds coming into effect this year. The following remaining unchanged:

  • Employees 18 years and over are eligible for SG contributions regardless of earnings.
  • Employees under 18 must still receive SG contributions if they work more than 30 hours per week. 

Microkeeper automatically applies eligibility logic based on employee age and hours worked, reducing the risk of underpayment and saving time during onboarding and pay run calculations.

What Else Is on the Horizon?

While the confirmed changes for FY25 are relatively focused, they point toward a broader shift in how super is managed across the country. Most notably, the government’s Payday Super initiative—slated for July 1, 2026—will require employers to pay super at the same time as wages, ending the current quarterly model.

While this is not a FY25 change, employers may want to begin preparing early by:

  • Reviewing pay cycle timing
  • Ensuring super payments are automated
  • Auditing employee fund data for accuracy

Microkeeper and its clearing house integration partners will continue releasing resources to help you get ready for that transition well before it becomes mandatory.

Wrapping up

For FY25, the biggest confirmed changes to superannuation are:

  • The SG rate increasing to 12% from 1 July 2025. 
  • The introduction of government-funded super on Paid Parental Leave.

While employers won’t need to pay extra super on PPL directly, these shifts highlight the growing visibility and compliance expectations around superannuation. 

What to do now

  • Review any salary-inclusive agreements
  • Check that SG rate updates won’t conflict with custom settings
  • Track parental leave correctly in your systems to avoid confusion when PPL super contributions begin
  • Begin forward planning for Payday Super in FY26

Microkeeper is already configured to support these changes—reach out to our team if you'd like a pre-July review of your payroll settings.

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