The ongoing pandemic and associated lockdowns/restrictions in place is impacting employees and businesses in different ways. To help lessen the impact of these, Federal and State governments have announced a variety of support packages to provide funds to affected businesses and individuals.

Please note that the relief package details are changing regularly.  But at the moment …

Each support measure has differing eligibility requirements and payment/relief packages. Broadly speaking, if you have a business and have suffered at least a 30% drop in income since the lockdown in your area started, and you meet other eligibility requirements, you may be eligible for lump sum or ongoing payments to help support your business.

We’ve listed the most relevant items below as things currently stand, concentrated for those nearest to us in ACT/NSW along with the Federal measures. There are also links to the websites for further information.

Please let us know if you need any assistance with determining your eligibility or applying for the grants, or if you have any questions in relation to the payments. We’re here to help.

ACT – Individual support

• Test hardship Isolation payment – payment for workers who cannot work due to being forced to isolate whilst awaiting a Covid 19 test result.
  

ACT – Business support

• COVID 19 Business Support Grant – The ACT COVID-19 Business Support Grants will deliver support of up to $10,000 for employing businesses and $4,000 for non-employing businesses over the three week lockdown period where those businesses’ turnover has declined by 30 per cent or more as a result of the COVID-19 health restrictions.
• COVID 19 Small Business Hardship Scheme – relief from payroll tax, rates and other ACT govt payments up to $10K where a business experiences hardship due to lock down. Details to come.
  

Federal – Individual support

• Covid 19 Disaster Payment – support for workers who are adversely affected by a state public health order. Amounts vary depending on circumstances.
• Pandemic leave disaster payment – payments where a worker can’t work due to being forced to self isolate, or caring for someone with Covid 19.
  

NSW – Business support

• COVID 19 Business Grant – one-off payment of $7,500 to $15,000 if you suffer a greater than 30% drop in turnover in a two week period after going into lockdown. Requires annual turnover over $75,000.
• JobSaver – payments of between $1,500 and $100,000 per week to cover 40% of NSW payroll. Requires 30% drop in turnover as above, and turnover between $75,000 and $250 million.
• COVID 19 Micro Business Grant – one-off payment of $4,500 for businesses that suffer a greater than 30% drop in turnover in a two week period after going into lockdown. Requires turnover between $30,000 and $75,000.
• Payroll tax deferrals/reductions – defer tax for July and August to a later date. Available to any payroll tax paying entity.
  

NSW – Individual support

• Test and isolate payment – payment of $350 to anyone who cannot work because of isolation while waiting on test results.
• Extreme hardship payment – apply for food and medicine to be provided where extreme hardship is experienced.
• Eviction moratorium for residential tenants – restriction on evictions while tenants are locked down

If you have any questions please don’t hesitate to contact the team. We are here to help you navigate through this period.