The Government has announced new financial support for businesses and organisations who are struggling with revenue during the Omicron outbreak.
- New targeted COVID-19 Support Payment for the most affected businesses. Applications for the first payment open on 28 February.
- Top-up loan available under the Small Business Cashflow Scheme. This will be available by the end of March.
- Flexibility on tax payment terms extended by Inland Revenue.
COVID-19 Support Payments (CSP)
Three fortnightly COVID-19 Support Payments (CSP) will be available with applications opening for the first payment at 8am on 28 February 2022 for the period starting from 16 February 2022
The CSP is a payment to help support viable and ongoing businesses or organisations which have experienced a 40% or more drop in revenue as a result of one or more of the following COVID-19 circumstances:
- the widespread presence of COVID-19 in the community in New Zealand
- the public health legislative measures taken in order to reduce the spread of COVID-19 in the New Zealand community
- any business circumstances that are, or are reasonably likely to be, a consequence of the circumstances described above.
The COVID-19 circumstances include but are not limited to:
- businesses not being able to operate to usual levels due to staff having to self-isolate
- businesses impacted by New Zealand based supply chain disruptions
- lower retail and recreation movements in a region (for example in a CBD) due to customers working from home or self-isolating
They do not include circumstances where businesses which are able to operate under the Red setting of the COVID Protection Framework, but have chosen to close temporarily without taking all reasonably practical steps to minimise their revenue losses.
