To support business recovery in NSW, the state Government has announced new programs, grants and rebates, including:
- a new 2022 Small Business Support Program
- expanded small business fees and charges rebates
- extending the Commercial Landlord Hardship grant
- extending the NSW Performing Arts Relaunch Package
2022 Small Business Support Program
What is the support?
- Eligible businesses will receive 20 percent of their weekly payroll for February.
- The minimum payment is $750 per week
- The maximum payment is $5,000 per week.
- Non-employing businesses such as Sole Traders and non-employing Partnerships and trusts will receive $500 per week.
- All Payments will be made as a lump sum
When can businesses apply?
This support program is for the month of February, and businesses will be able to apply through Service NSW from mid-February.
What is the Eligibility Criteria?
“Eligible businesses are ones that:
- had an aggregated annual turnover of between $75,000 and $50 million (inclusive) for the year ended 30 June 2021; and
- experienced a decline in turnover of a minimum of 40 percent due to the impacts of the Omicron COVID-19 strain or Public Health Orders during January 2022 (compared to January 2021 or January 2020) and
- due to the effects of the Omicron COVID-19 strain from 1-14 February 2022 experienced a decline in turnover of 40 percent or more, compared to the same fortnight in February in the comparison year used for the above criterion; and
- maintain their employee headcount from the date of the scheme’s announcement, 31 January 2022.
Small Business Fees and Charges rebate
The existing rebate has expanded from $2,000 to $3,000.
- The added permitted use of funds has also been expanded to cover half the Rapid Antigen Tests (RATs) cost.
- The funds can be used on Government fees and charges such as liquor licences, food authority licences, tradesperson licences, outdoor seating fees, event fees, council rates and road user tolls for business use.
- Businesses who are already registered will receive an automatic top-up of $1,000, and newly registered businesses will receive a $3,000 rebate.
Commercial Landlord Hardship Grant
Grants of up to $3,000 per month per property are available to eligible landlords.
- Landlords must have provided rental relief waivers to affected tenants and
- Rent waived must comprise at least half of the rental reduction provided
The protections for small retail and commercial tenants will be extended for an additional two months until 13 March 2022. The Regulation prohibits certain actions by landlords (such as lockout or eviction) unless they have first renegotiated rent with eligible tenants and attempted mediation.
NSW Performing Arts Relaunch package
Funding is available to eligible performances staged between 19 September 2021 to 30 April 2022.
The funding amount will be calculated per performance, using a formula of the number of tickets available for sale (capped at 10,000) multiplied by the average ticket price and a specified percentage, up to a maximum of $12.5m.
The NSW Government roadmap to recovery has been extended to April 2022. It includes the NSW Performing Arts Relaunch package, which provides financial support to relaunch the performing arts sector.
To be eligible for funding, the applicant MUST be one of the following:
- An eligible venue (list published by Create NSW)
- A promoter of an eligible performance scheduled to perform at one of
- the eligible venues
- A producer of an eligible performance scheduled to perform at one of
- the eligible venues.
Eligible venues and the percentage applied to their funding amount have been identified through sector-wide consultation, review of the online marketing material of venues, and thorough assessment of tickets on sale through major ticket selling agencies.
Eligible performances must have ticket sales managed through one of the eligible ticketing systems (list published by Create NSW) and be evidenced by marketing collateral (website, social media etc.).
Source: NSW Premier, Deputy Premier, Treasurer and Minister for Small Business, COVID Business Support Package Released, [media release], 30 January 2022.