COVID-19 business grants comparison

Use the Service NSW quick reference guide to compare the grants and work out which one suits your situation.

2022 Small Business Support Program

If you’re a business, sole trader or not-for-profit organisation in NSW and you’ve been impacted by the Omicron wave of COVID-19, you may be eligible for a payment under the 2022 Small Business Support Program.

The program provides cash flow support to help eligible businesses survive the impacts of COVID-19 and maintain their NSW employee headcount.

Eligible businesses will receive one payment covering the 4-week period of February 2022. Businesses will not receive payment for January 2022.

If you’re an employing business, the payment will be equivalent to 20% of weekly payroll for work performed in NSW:

• minimum payment will be $750 per week
• maximum payment will be $5,000

Weekly payroll should be determined by referring to the calculations underlying the most recent Business Activity Statement (BAS) provided to the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) for a tax period that falls within the 2020-21 financial year. See the guidelines for more information about calculating your weekly payroll. You can use the Service NSW template for calculating weekly payroll.

If you’re a non-employing business, such as a sole trader, you may be eligible to receive a payment of $500 per week.

Eligible businesses can use funds to cover business costs incurred due to the impacts of the Omicron strain of COVID-19 in NSW. These costs may include:

• salaries and wages
• utilities and rent
• financial, legal or other advice
• perishable goods
• other business costs

Applications close on 31 March 2022.

Eligibility

To be eligible for the 2022 Small Business Support Program, your business or not-for-profit organisation must:

• have an active Australian Business Number (ABN)
• have been operating in NSW on 1 January 2021
• have an aggregated annual turnover between $75,000 and $50 million (inclusive) for the year ended 30 June 2021 or 30 June 2020
• have experienced a decline in turnover of 40% or more due to the impacts of COVID-19:
  • during January 2022, compared to January 2021 or January 2020
  • from 1 to 14 February 2022, compared to the same fortnight in February 2021 or February 2020
• for employing businesses, maintain your employee headcount from 30 January to 28 February 2022
• for non-employing businesses, such as sole traders, show that the business is the primary income source (50% or more of the total income) for the associated person. If you have more than one non-employing business, you can only claim payments for one business.

2021 COVID-19 Business Grant

A one-off payment to help businesses, sole traders or not-for-profit organisations impacted by the current Greater Sydney COVID-19 restrictions.

Grants between $7,500 and $15,000 are available to eligible businesses depending on the decline in turnover experienced during the restrictions.

Three different grant amounts will be available depending on the decline in turnover experienced over a minimum 2-week period from 26 June 2021 to 17 July 2021, compared to the same period in 2019:

• $7,500 for a decline of 30% or more
• $10,500 for a decline of 50% or more
• $15,000 for a decline of 70% or more.

Businesses and not-for-profit organisations on the NSW border with Victoria impacted by the stay-at-home orders that began on 27 May 2021 may use a different comparison period to demonstrate a decline in turnover. For each of the 3 grant amounts, these businesses must demonstrate a decline in turnover over a minimum 2-week period from 27 May 2021 to 17 July 2021.

Eligibility

To be eligible for the grant, you must:

• have an active Australian Business Number (ABN)
• demonstrate your business was operating in NSW as at 1 June 2021
• have had total annual Australian wages of $10 million or less as at 1 July 2020
• have had an aggregated annual turnover between $75,000 and $50 million (inclusive) for the year ended 30 June 2020
• have business costs for which there is no other government support available
• maintain your employee headcount as at 13 July 2021.

COVID-19 Micro Business Grant

A fortnightly payment for businesses with a turnover between $30,000 and $75,000.

Applications are open.

How much

• $1,500 per fortnight

Eligibility

• a turnover between $30,000 and $75,000
• a revenue decline of 30% or more
• businesses that provide the primary income source for a person associated with the business

JobSaver

Fortnightly payments to help maintain employee headcount (as at 13 July 2021) and provide cashflow support to businesses.

Applications opened 26 July 2021.

How much

• Employing businesses: 40% of weekly payroll, with a minimum payment of $1,500 per week and a maximum payment of $100,000 per week
• Non-employing business: $1,000 per week

Eligibility

• A revenue decline of 30% or more
• Turnover between $75,000 and $250 million

COVID Disaster Payment

For people without any Centrelink payments.

$375 or $600 per week for people who have lost hours. These amounts will increase to $450 and $750 from the week commencing 2 August.

Eligibility

• you’re an Australian Resident or hold an eligible working visa
• you’re 17 years or older
• you’re not getting an income support payment, ABSTUDY Living Allowance, Dad and Partner Pay or Parental Leave Pay
• you’re not getting the Pandemic Leave Disaster Payment, a state or territory pandemic payment or a state small business payment for the same period
• you live in, work from or have visited a Commonwealth-declared COVID-19 hotspot
• you live in, work from or have visited a location subject to a state or territory restricted movement order
• you had paid employment and because you were in the COVID-19 hotspot or are subject to restricted movement, you can’t attend work on or after day 8 of the lockdown
• you’ve lost income on or after day 8 of the lockdown and don’t have any appropriate paid leave entitlements

For people with Centrelink Payments

$200 per week effective from the week commencing 2 August.

Eligibility is the same as above, except that the claimant is receiving an income support payment, ABSTUDY Living Allowance, Dad and Partner Pay or Parental Leave Pay.

State Fee Waivers and Tax Assistance

Payroll tax deferrals

Businesses can opt in to defer payments on the 2020-21 annual reconciliation return and wages paid in July and August. Interest-free repayment plans for up to 12 months will be available.

How much

• deferral of 2020-21 reconcilliation (due 28 July) and payments due on 7 August and 7 September until 7 October 2022.

Eligibility

• Any business paying payroll tax.

Payroll tax concessions

Concessions to help reduce overheads for eligible businesses with a 30% decline in turnover.

How much

• 25% reduction in 2020-21 payroll tax where there is a 30% decline in turnover.

Eligbility

• a revenue decline of 30%
• for businesses with Australian wages up to $10 million

Other States COVID-19 Grants and Financial Support