COVID-19 resurgence financial support and information for your business
We are currently at Level 4
Click here for more information about doing business at Level 4
Heart of the City is here to support city centre businesses. If you need help in knowing what support is available, have a question or simply just need to chat please contact us.
Below is a summary of the key financial and advice support that is available to business with regard to Covid-19. We have also summarised this in a downloadable document:
- COVID-19 support for business overview (English)
- COVID-19 기간 중 기업 지원 사업 안내 (Korean)
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在 COVID-19 疫情期间为您的企业提供支持 (Simplified Chinese)
If you need to talk to someone about specific matters, call any of the below free services:
- Information and advice (including funding advice) about helping manage your business through COVID-19 - 0800 500 362
- Goverment COVID-19 information - 0508 377 388
- COVID-19 health advice and information - Healthline 0800 358 5453
- Mental health support from a trained counselor - Call or text 1737
Financial support
| Programme | What it does | Available for | How to apply |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wage subsidy |
Supports employers to pay their employees:
|
Supports employers to pay their employees when they are impacted by an Alert Level setting of 3/4 for 14 days or more, with at least 40% downturn over 14 days. Businesses with seasonal revenue must have at least 40% over the revenue test period compared to the same 14 consecutive days in 2020 or 2019 (the “seasonal comparator period”). They must also be able to show that the seasonal nature of the business makes, it harder to meet the 40% revenue decline using the default comparator period. | The wage subsidy is activated in the event of a resurgence, with applications via Work and Income. |
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Support to aid meeting one-off costs or impacts to cashflow when Alert Levels change. Firms that experience at least a 30% drop in revenue over a 7-day period will be eligible. The payment includes a core per business rate of $1,500 plus $400 per employee up to a total of 50 FTEs ($21,500). |
Businesses directly affected when there’s a move to Alert Level 2 or above for 7 days or more, with at least 30% downturn over 7 days. |
The resurgence support payment is activated in the event of a resurgence. Applications are via Inland Revenue. Applications for a second round for the resurgence support repayment open on Friday, 17 September 2021. You can apply if you have already received a payment. Eligibility criteria and payment remain the same as the current scheme. |
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| Short term absence payment | Helps businesses pay workers who cannot work from home while they wait for a COVID-19 test result. | Businesses or self employed people waiting for a COVID-19 test result. | Apply via WINZ. Call 0800 40 80 40 for questions. |
| Leave support scheme |
Helps paying employees if they can't work due to Ministry of Health advice |
Businesses that have employees who are unable to work due to MOH advice. |
Apply via WINZ. Call 0800 40 80 40 for questions. |
| Loans of up to $100,000, interest-free if repaid within two years | Businesses with 50 or fewer FTEs that have been adversely affected by COVID-19 (full details here) | Apply via IRD by 31 December 2023 |
Other options that may be relevant for your business include tax relief including the Temporary loss carry-back scheme, the Business Finance Guarantee Scheme, Business debt hibernation or options through your bank like mortgage holidays and payment suspensions for loans and credit cards.
Fully-funded individualised advice for your business
| Programme | What it does and how to apply |
|---|---|
| Funded advisory services |
To support businesses through COVID-19, the Tourism Transitions Fund supports businesses with fewer than 100 FTEs with up to $5,000 value of advice and support such as HR, health and wellbeing, business continuity and hibernation, cashflow and finance management, strategy and digital capability. The fund is available to tourism businesses and city centre businesses that have experienced loss of trade through lack of tourists. This fund is delivered by the Regional Business Partner Network, via Auckland Unlimited in the Auckland area. Go to the RBP website to apply. Please note the previously available Business Advisory Fund administered by RBP is now fully allocated. |
|
Funded Business Mentors for 12 months |
In partnership with Business Mentors NZ, Heart of the City is making available the opportunity for a limited number of city centre businesses to access a business mentor for a 12-month period. This service provides confidential one on one support for small business owners who want to grow or need help to solve specific business challenges. Register at businessmentors.org.nz/small-business-mentoring Call 0800 209 209 for any questions |
Advice lines
| For information about | Contact |
|---|---|
|
Trading at different alert levels, contact tracing, visas, employment, leases and more: the official COVID-19 advice from central government |
Go to the business.govt.nz portal or phone 0508 377 388 for questions |
| Business information and support: information and advice to help manage your business through COVID-19, including financial support available |
COVID-19 business helpline Call 0800 500 362 for support |
Other resources
| Programme | What it does and how to apply |
|---|---|
| Business Continuity Planning |
Simple downloadable templates and planning resources for Emergency and Business Continuity Plans, helping businesses prepare for emergencies and unexpected situations in the workplace. |
| Auckland Unlimited resources |
Information and assets for Auckland businesses, including a free Digital Assessment Tool to help establish where your online presence can be optimised. Go to www.aucklandnz.com/business-and-investment/news/covid-19 |
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Free accessibility assessments
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Be. Lab’s free online self-assessment tool helps any business to understand how accessible it is right now and work towards improvements. |
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Business recruitment support |
MSD offer a range of recruitment and employment support for businesses wanting to employ job seekers and apprentices See a summary of programmes here: workandincome.govt.nz/employers/ |
| Free printing for Covid-19 collateral | The government is printing free Covid 19 collateral for businesses, including booklets, posters and decals. They are available in a variety of languages including Arabic, Cook Island Māori, English, Farsi, Fijian, Hindi, Japanese, Kiribati, Korean, Te Reo Māori, Niuean, Punjabi, Rotuman, Samoan, Simplified Chinese, Somali, Spanish, Tagalog, Thai, Tokelauan, Tongan, Tuvaluan, Urdu and Vietnamese. More information is available here. |
| Mandatory sign-ins | All businesses are now required to maintain contract tracing records in line with the Covid-19 Response Act. Tracing is to be maintained at any alert level and the obligation will be on the person responsible for the place or gathering to make sure people can scan or sign in. Failure to do so will result in a fine varying between $300 and $1000. More information is available here. |
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Outdoor dining |
Free licence extensions for the period of lockdown For more information, contact Heart of the City |
| Clearhead |
An online Mental Health and Wellbeing service provided free for Heart of the City businesses to use by the Ministry of Social Development and Ministry of Health. |
| EMA resources |
An extensive dashboard of information for businesses. Visit covid19.ema.co.nz/ |
| Manaaki |
A place for businesses to access free advice from leading local and international business people - with over 80 experts in their field ready to help. |
Page updated 6 September 2021
