COVID-19 resurgence financial support and information for your business
We are currently at Level 1
Click here for more information about doing business at Level 1
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. 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)
-
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
You can use the Government's financial support tool to find out what support might be available for your business through COVID-19.
| Programme | What it does | Available for | How to apply |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wage subsidy |
Supports employers to pay their employees:
|
Businesses impacted by an escalation to Alert Levels 3 or 4 anywhere in New Zealand, for 7 days or more, with at least 40% downturn over 7 days. | The wage subsidy is activated in the event of a resurgence, with applications via Work and Income. The Wage Subsidy March 2021 was available from 1pm on 4 March 2021 to 11:59pm on 21 March 2021. |
|
Support to aid meeting one-off costs or impacts to cashflow when Alert Levels change. Firms that experience 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). A cap of 4x the amount of the revenue drop applies for low revenue businesses. |
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 wage subsidy is activated in the event of a resurgence, with applications via Inland Revenue - applications remain open until one month after the return to Level 1. |
|
| 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. Provisions are in place supporting commercial lease and mortgage holders.
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 or find out specifically about the Tourism Transitions Fund. 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 |
|
Free accessibility assessments
|
Be. Lab’s free online self-assessment tool helps any business to understand how accessible it is right now and work towards improvements. |
|
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/ |
|
Outdoor dining |
Free licence extensions for the period of lockdown |
| 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 15 April 2021
