The support available to individuals and business has been constantly evolving and changing. Here’s a summary of where support stands around the country.
For individuals
From 2 August 2021, the COVID-19 Disaster Payment has increased to a maximum of $750 per week for those who have lost 20 hours of work or more, and $450 for those who have lost between 8 and 20 hours of work. In most cases, the payment now applies from day 1 of a lockdown. In general, you need to be living in, or impacted by Commonwealth declared lockdown to receive the payment although some States have funded an extension of the payment beyond hotspot areas.
A special separate $200 a week ‘top-up’ payment has been added for those currently receiving an income support payment through social security, ABSTUDY Living Allowance, Dad and Partner Pay or Parental Leave Pay in addition to their existing payment, if they can demonstrate they have lost more than 8 hours of work and meet the other eligibility requirements for the COVID-19 Disaster Payment. The payment was put in place because people receiving income support payments are not eligible for the COVID-19 Disaster payment.
New South Wales
In New South Wales, the following grants and payments are accessible:
- Up to $100,000 in weekly JobSaver cashflow support payments. Payments are based on 40% of your NSW payroll payments. Eligible businesses without employees that meet the eligibility criteria (such as sole traders with no employees), can access a payment of $1,000 per week.
- Up to $15,000 through the expanded NSW 2021 COVID-19 business grants program
- NSW micro-business grants
The decline in turnover test required for the JobSaver, COVID-19 business and micro-business grants has been causing a lot of angst but some additional flexibility has been provided. Businesses and non-profit entities can now pass this test if they can show a decline in turnover of at least 30% due to the Public Health Order over a minimum 2-week period within the relevant test period compared to:
- The same period in 2019;
- The same period in 2020; or
- The 2-week period immediately before the start of the relevant test period.
The test period depends on which payment you are looking at:
- COVID-19 business grant: 26 June 2021 to 17 July 2021 (this is changed to 27 May 2021 to 17 July 2021 for entities on the NSW border with Victoria);
- JobSaver and the micro-business grant: 26 June 2021 until the Greater Sydney lockdown ends.
This additional flexibility is helpful for businesses that started after the comparison period in 2019 and for those that have undertaken an acquisition, disposal or restructure.
Queensland
Covid-19 Business Support Grants are available for those impacted by the lockdown from Saturday, 31 July 2021. Your business does not have to be in the local government areas locked down but needs to be impacted by it. To access the grant, you will need to show a decline in turnover of at least 30%. The grants are available to businesses with a turnover of $75,000 or more and annual Queensland payroll of less than $10 million.
Eligible applicants will receive grant funding as follows:
- A $10,000 grant to employing small businesses and not for profit organisations with an annual payroll of less than $1.3 million;
- A $15,000 grant to employing medium sized businesses and not for profit organisations with an annual payroll between $1.3 million and $10 million (inclusive);
- A $30,000 grant to employing large sized tourism and hospitality focused businesses and not for profit organisations with an annual payroll of more than $10 million.
Applications opened mid-August and will close on 16 November 2021. See Business Queensland for details.
South Australia
Grants of $3,000 for employing businesses and $1,000 for non-employing businesses are available to businesses that experienced a decline in turnover of at least 30% as a result of the health restrictions from 20 July 2021. The grants are available to those with a turnover of $75,000 or more and Australia wide payroll of less than $10 million.
Eligibility criteria:
- Be located within South Australia;
- Have an annual turnover of $75,000 or more in 2020-21 or 2019-20;
- Be registered for GST;
- Have a valid and active ABN;
- Be employed people in South Australia;
- Have Australia-wide payroll of less than $10 million in the 2019-20 financial year;
- Experienced at least a 30% reduction in turnover in the week of Tuesday 20 July 2021 to Monday 26 July 2021 compared to the prior week because of the restricted trading conditions (Supporting documents demonstrating your decline in turnover will not need to be lodged but will need to be kept for 2 years).
See COVID-19 Business Support Grant – July 2021 for details.
Victoria
There are two main streams for grants in Victoria:
- Those who qualified for the Business Costs Assistance Program Round Two or the Licensed Hospitality Venue Fund 2021; and
- Businesses that previously did not access grants
Existing grant beneficiaries
If your business previously received the Business Costs Assistance Program Round Two or the Licensed Hospitality Venue Fund 2021, additional grants of $2,800 for the Business Costs Assistance Program Round Two and up to $20,000 for the Licensed Hospitality Venue Fund 2021 have been announced. Your business cannot retrospectively apply for these grants. See Helping Victorian Businesses Who Need It Most.
New grants
For businesses that did not access previous grants, the Business Costs Assistance Program Round Two July Extension offers grants of $4,800 for employing and non-employing business depending on your sector. For those in the hospitality sector, a new Licensed Hospitality Venue Fund 2021 July Extension is available offering grants of up to $7,200 for each eligible premises. Applications for both grants close 13 August 2021.
A new Small Business COVID Hardship Fund grant of up to $8,000 has been announced for businesses that are not eligible for existing support funding. To access the grant, your business must be severely impacted by the COVID-19 lockdowns with a decline in turnover of 70% or more. No further details are available at present.
Other support
Rent relief for commercial tenants is also now in place for businesses that have suffered a decline in turnover of at least 30% as a result of COVID-19. Landlords will be required to provide proportional rent relief in line with a business’s reduction in turnover and mediation is available through the Victorian Small Business Commission. A hardship fund will be established for landlords providing rent relief although no details are available as yet.
Northern Territory
The Federal Government and the Territory Labor Government have announced a new $12.5 million package for Territory businesses impacted by COVID-19 restrictions.
Following the Commonwealth declaring Greater Darwin and Katherine as hotspots, additional financial support will be available to businesses and organisations who are reliant on interstate and international visitation. Under the co-funded scheme, employing businesses will receive a $3,000 payment, while sole traders will receive a $1,000 payment. Eligible businesses must have an annual turnover of less than $10 million, and will need to demonstrate a 30 per cent decrease in turnover as a result of the lockdown – particularly relating to visitation.
Western Australia
Western Australian tourism businesses impacted by COVID-19 will soon be able to apply for funding support under a new joint Commonwealth-State program valued at up to $16.8 million.
Eligible tourism businesses will be able to apply for grants of up to $10,000 to assist with some of the financial impacts resulting from much of the country being under significant COVID-19 restrictions in recent months.
Applicants must demonstrate at least a 30 per cent reduction in turnover by comparing the period 15 May – 25 June with 10 July – 20 August to be eligible for support.
The following funding amounts will be made available to eligible businesses:
- $2,000 grant for all sole traders and for employing businesses with an annual turnover between $50,000 and $100,000
- $5,000 grant for employing businesses with an annual turnover between $100,000 and $1 million
- $10,000 grant for employing businesses with an annual turnover between $1 million and $10 million
- In order to be eligible, businesses must be:
- registered with Tourism WA as a previous grant recipient or as part of the agency’s marketing campaigns in 2020 or 2021; or
- a member of, or accredited through, a relevant tourism organisation (as of today); or
- a travel agent that has been offering domestic product to travellers.
Businesses must also have an active and valid ABN and be located in Western Australia. While up to $16.8 million is available for the program, it is likely the amount expended will be less due to the strength of intrastate tourism in Western Australia.
ACT
The ACT COVID‑19 Business Support Grant provides of up to $10,000 for employing businesses and up to $4,000 for non-employing businesses that have experienced a decline of 30% or more as a result of the COVID‑19 health restrictions.
Businesses must be registered in the ACT and able to demonstrate their primary operation in the ACT, have an annual turnover of more than $75,000, be registered for GST and have a total payroll of less than $10 million. They will also need to provide evidence of a 30 per cent reduction in their turnover.
The package will be split on a 50/50 basis between the Commonwealth and the ACT Governments, with the Territory government to administer the program.
Tasmania
Grants of between $2,000 and $10,000 will be available to businesses that have suffered a 30% or more reduction in turnover as a direct result of lockdowns and border closures in other states as a result of a reduction in:
- The number of visitors; and/or
- The ability to provide, sell or import/export goods and services.
The level of funding is scaled according to your business’s annual turnover for the 2020-21 financial year or 2020 calendar year.
Grant funding
Grant scaling will be informed by business annual turnover*.
- Sole traders or small business operators ($2 000 grant) – Sole traders, or businesses that do not employ staff, with an annual turnover of $50 000 or more, and have been impacted by a reduction in turnover by 30 per cent or more.
- Impacted small businesses with employees ($5 000 grant) -For those businesses that employ staff with annual turnover above $100 000 up to $1 million and have been impacted by a reduction in turnover by 30 per cent or more.
- Impacted medium businesses ($10 000 grant) – For those businesses that employ staff with annual turnover above $1 million up to $10 million and have been impacted by a reduction in turnover by 30 per cent or more.
To be eligible for the business hardship grant, you must:
- Be actively operating a Tasmanian business; and
- Have a minimum annual turnover* of $50,000; and
- Be registered in Australia for tax purposes; and
- Have a continuously active ABN since on or before 1 May 2021; and
- Be registered for the Check in TAS App (or registered at the time of submission); and
- Be able to demonstrate a direct impact from the lockdowns and border closures in other States and Territories from Saturday 26 June 2021; and
- Experienced a decline in turnover as a direct result of the lockdowns for the period Saturday 26 June 2021 to Friday 13 August 2021 compared with the period Saturday 8 May 2021 to Friday 25 June 2021.
Applications are online via SmartyGrants and close on Thursday, 16 September 2021.
Please contact us if you would like support to prepare for, or to access, the support you need.