Payroll due tomorrow and the account won't cover it

There are few worse feelings in business than looking at tomorrow’s pay run and knowing the account won’t cover it. Your team is counting on that money for rent, groceries and school fees, and you’re counting on them to turn up.

The good news is that payroll is one of the clearest, most understandable reasons a lender sees. The purpose is obvious, the amount is precise, and a trading business with regular deposits often has a realistic next-day path. Here’s how to handle tonight and tomorrow.

What should I do in the next hour?

1. Work out the exact shortfall. Not a rough figure — the real number, including everything that leaves the account with payroll.
2. Check what you can cover yourself. Every dollar you can pay from existing funds shrinks the request and speeds it up.
3. Send the enquiry tonight so it’s waiting at the start of the next business day. Start it here — it takes about a minute.
4. Download your business bank statements as PDFs. Our bank statements guide shows what to include.
5. Decide what you’ll tell your team if pay might be a few hours or a day late.

What goes into the real payroll number?

Payroll is more than net wages. Tonight, add up:

Item	Why it matters tomorrow
Net wages	What lands in each employee’s account
PAYG withholding	Reported and paid to the ATO on your BAS cycle, but it’s still owed
Super guarantee	From 1 July 2026, it must reach the fund within 7 business days after payday
Allowances and overtime	Easy to forget if this pay run is bigger than usual
Leave paid out	Annual leave loading or a termination payment can blow out one pay run

The super guarantee rate is 12%. Under Payday Super, which started on 1 July 2026, the ATO says contributions must be received by the fund within 7 business days after you pay your employee, with a longer 20 business days for a new employee’s first contribution. That means wages and super now travel together. If you solve wages tomorrow but leave super unfunded, you may be facing a second deadline within days. Our page on super due this week explains the new timing.

Wages also rose at the start of the financial year. The Fair Work Ombudsman announced a 4.75% increase to award minimum wages from the first full pay period starting on or after 1 July 2026, taking the national minimum wage to $26.44 an hour. If your cash planning still uses last year’s wage bill, the gap may be larger than you think.

Which funding suits a payroll deadline?

Payroll funding needs to be fast and sized to the gap, not a big long-term loan.

• Unsecured cash-flow funding. For trading businesses with steady deposits, smaller unsecured amounts can be possible same day. The decision leans on your bank statements. See unsecured funding tomorrow.
• Property-secured funding. If the shortfall is larger or your statements are patchy, property security of $20k to $250k can be possible same day.
• A standby line of credit. If payroll gaps recur, a limit set up in a calm week means the next one is a simple draw. See standby line of credit.

What should I tell my staff?

Honesty protects trust. If you’re confident funding will land in time, you may not need to say anything. If there’s a real chance pay will be late, tell your team before payday, not after.

A simple message works best: pay may arrive later than usual, you’re arranging it now, and you’ll confirm the time as soon as you know. Don’t over-promise.

The Fair Work Ombudsman says employers must pay employees at least monthly, and awards and agreements often require weekly or fortnightly pay. Employees also need to receive a payslip within 1 working day of being paid. The aim should always be to pay on time; if that’s genuinely not possible, get advice quickly and keep your team informed.

An illustrative evening

Illustrative: A cleaning company in Perth runs a weekly pay run of about $41k for 23 staff every Wednesday. A government client’s payment has been delayed by a system change, leaving the account $29k short. At 7pm Tuesday the owner calculates the gap including super, confirms $12k can come from the operating account, and enquires for $29k. She downloads six months of statements and a copy of the delayed invoice. A specialist calls at 8.30am Perth time, and with steady deposits, a clear reason for the gap and a known repayment source, funds are possible that morning.

The strongest part of her request wasn’t the numbers. It was the clarity: a known amount, a known cause and a known date when the gap would close.

When payroll is short again next month

A single short pay run is a timing problem. Several in a row are a signal. Once tomorrow is solved, it’s worth asking:

• Are customers paying later than your terms?
• Has the wage bill grown faster than prices?
• Is there a seasonal dip that needs a buffer?

business.gov.au has practical guidance on improving cash flow, and our ten-day cash calendar helps you spot the next short pay run a week early.

Make sure your team gets paid

If tomorrow’s pay run is at risk, don’t wait until morning. The enquiry takes around 60 seconds and won’t trigger a credit check. Your details go to one team, not to a list of lenders who’ll all start calling. A real specialist reads the numbers and rings you, often first thing. Give us the accurate shortfall, your state and what you can cover yourself — it’s the quickest way to the right answer.

Get payroll funding moving tonight →