The Government has announced 3 additional forms of financial support for businesses with cashflow pressures as a result of COVID-19. These are:
- an increase to the base Small Business Cashflow Scheme (SBCS) and the ability to borrow a top-up if they did not borrow the full amount
- up to 3 COVID-19 Support Payments (CSP)
- an extension of IR’s ability to remit penalties and interest.
Small Business Cashflow Scheme (SBCS) changes
The following changes will be made to the SBCS before the end of March.
Base loan amount increased
The SBCS base loan will be increased to $20,000 (from $10,000). This means the amount that can be borrowed will be $20,000, plus $1,800 per full-time equivalent employee (up to 50 employees). The loan repayment period remains 5 years (60 months).
Interest free period
The first 2 years of existing loans will become interest-free provided the loan is not in default. Interest will apply at a rate of 3% per year on the remaining loan balance from the first day of the third year of the loan period.
Existing borrowers can get a top up loan
Existing borrowers who already have a loan (and have not defaulted on this loan) will be able to apply for a top-up loan. They can borrow an additional $10,000 plus any amount they did not borrow in their initial loan. The top up loan can be drawn down as a lump-sum or as up to 4 smaller instalments over time before the end of the scheme on 31 December 2023.
COVID-19 Support Payment
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 1 or more of the following COVID-19 circumstances:
- the widespread presence of COVID-19 in the New Zealand community
- the legislative public health 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.
Three fortnightly CSPs will be available with applications opening for the first payment at 8am on 28 February 2022 for the period starting from 16 February 2022.
Each CSP will be $4,000 per business plus $400 per full-time employee (FTE), capped at 50 FTEs or $24,000.
The maximum size of the CSP your business or organisation may be eligible to apply for, depends on the number of FTEs you have, and your level of revenue. Businesses or organisations with low revenue will have their payment capped at 8 times their actual decline in revenue.
Eligibility criteria
To be eligible for the CSP a business or organisation must:
- have experienced the revenue decline of 40% or more as a result of 1 or more COVID-19 circumstances (as detailed above)
- have been operating the business or organisation for a period of at least 1 month before 16 February 2022 – if you have acquired a business or organisation after 16 January 2022, you may still be eligible for the CSP
- have taken all reasonably practicable steps (if any) to minimise revenue losses
- been operating in compliance with the COVID-19 Vaccine Certificate requirements (pursuant to COVID-19 Public Health Response (Protection Framework) Order 2021), for both the comparator period and the affected revenue period
- not have received, have an application pending for, or apply for or receive in future, a grant under the Cultural Sector Emergency Relief Fund: Grant for Self- Employed Individuals administered by Manatū Taonga – Ministry for Culture and Heritage (further details on this will be provided soon)
- be living, or (if a non-natural person) registered or otherwise established in New Zealand.
Drop in revenue
Businesses and organisations need to measure their revenue over a period of 7 consecutive days in the affected revenue period where the business or organisation has had a drop in revenue due to the COVID-19 circumstances detailed above.
To get the first payment you will need to show income is 40% lower in a 7-day period any time from February 16, compared to a typical 7-day period between 5 January 2022 and 15 February 2022.
The dates of the affected revenue period for the second and third payments are still to be decided.
The affected revenue period and the comparison period must be calculated based on what has happened, not a forecast of what might happen. If the revenue drop you have calculated is 40% or more you may be eligible for CSP.
If your business or organisation is part of a commonly owned group, the 40% revenue drop needs to be satisfied by you and by the group as a whole.
Businesses or organisations with highly seasonal revenue may still be able apply for the CSP. Further details for businesses with seasonal revenue will be provided soon.
For further information see: https://www.ird.govt.nz/covid-19/business-and-organisations/covid-19-support-payment-information
Remittance of penalties and interest
Penalties and interest can be remitted for tax payments due on or after 14 February 2020 up until 24 March 2022 (including provisional tax). This will soon be extended to 7 April 2024.The best way for customers to take advantage of this is to set up an instalment arrangement in their myIR account at ird.govt.nz
Please get in touch with our Elite team, if you need assistance in apply for any of the above support payments.
