Australian Government

The Australian Government business.gov.au website contains the latest information about the Federal Government’s financial assistance for businesses affected by COVID-19.

Latest Updates

• The Commonwealth Government has provided NSW households and businesses over $52 billion in direct economic support since the beginning of the pandemic.
• Federal Government funding will begin to taper as NSW begin to reach their vaccination targets.
• Now that NSW has reached 70% of the adult population being fully vaccinated, JobSaver payments will taper from the current payment rate of 40% of weekly payroll to 30% of weekly payroll.
• Before NSW reaches the point of 80% of the population aged over 16 having received both doses of a COVID-19 vaccine, the Commonwealth Government will continue to co-fund the JobSaver program with the NSW Government.
• Once NSW reaches the 80% fully vaccinated target, the Commonwealth will no longer make contributions to the JobSaver program. This will be left to the NSW Government.
• From 10 October to 23 October, the minimum and maximum weekly payments for employing businesses will be reduced by 25%. $1,125 (minimum) and $75,000 (maximum) weekly.
• The grant for sole traders will reduce to $750.

NSW Government

The Service NSW website contains the latest information about the NSW Government’s financial assistance for businesses affected by COVID-19.

Latest Updates

• By 30 November 2021, the NSW Government will have provided households and businesses in the state with over $8 billion in direct economic support.
• Once NSW reaches a double vaccination rate of 80%, the NSW Government will continue to fund JobSaver payments once the Commonwealth withdraws its contributions.
• At this point, JobSaver payments will be tapered from 30% to 15% of weekly payroll.
• JobSaver payments will end on 30 November 2021.

Financial Support for Employers and Small Business

2021 COVID-19 Micro-Business Grant NSW

This grant will close on Monday 18 October 2021.

This is a fortnightly grant of $1,500 to micro-businesses (including small business, sole traders, or not-for-profits) that have suffered financial loss due to COVID-19 restrictions while continuing to incur business costs.

Relevant business costs include:

• salaries and wages
• utilities and rent
• financial, legal, or other advice
• marketing and communication
• perishable goods

Click here to see eligibility criteria for the COVID-19 Micro-Business Grant.

Click here to apply for the COVID-19 Micro-Business Grant.

JobSaver Payment NSW

This payment will close on Monday 18 October 2021.

This is a payment of between $1,000 and $100,00 per week (paid fortnightly) for NSW businesses, sole traders, and not-for-profits equivalent to 40% of the weekly payroll for work performed in NSW.

Eligible businesses and not-for-profit organisations with employees will receive automatic fortnightly payments backdated to cover costs incurred from week 4 of the Greater Sydney lockdown (from 18 July 2021 onwards).

Larger businesses in the hospitality, tourism and recreation industries with a turnover more than $250 million and up to $1 billion may be eligible for a larger weekly payment under the JobSaver payment – large tourism, hospitality and recreation businesses scheme.

Click here to see eligibility criteria for the JobSaver Payment NSW.

Click here to apply for the JobSaver Payment NSW.

Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) Guarantee Scheme

Small Business Fees and Charges Rebate NSW

This payment will close on Thursday 30 June 2022.

Rebates of up to $1,500 are available to small businesses, sole traders and not-for-profits to offset the costs of eligible NSW and local government fees and charges, including but not limited to:

• food authority licences
• liquor licences
• tradesperson licences
• event fees
• outdoor seating fees
• council rates.

Click here to see eligibility criteria for the Small Business Fees and Charges Rebate NSW

Click here to apply for the Small Business Fees and Charges Rebate NSW

COVID-19 Disaster Payment

If you’re a sole trader, you may be eligible for the COVID-19 Disaster Payment. This is a lump sum payment between $200 and $750 for people who have lost work due to a COVID-19 Public Health Order.

• Before applying for this payment, you should first check if you are eligible for a NSW business support payment.

Click here to see the eligibility criteria and how to apply for the COVID-19 Disaster Payment.

Export Assistance Grant

This grant will close on Friday 31 December 2021.

A grant of up to $10,000 is available to eligible NSW businesses impacted by COVID-19, bushfires or drought, to help your business access new global markets or re-enter old ones.

Eligible exporting businesses can apply for 50% reimbursement of certain export-enabling expenses, such as marketing and e-commerce, for expenses already paid since 1 January 2020.

You can submit either one application up to the maximum of $10,000 or multiple applications of a minimum of $2000 per application, totalling a maximum of $10,000.

Click here to see the eligibility criteria and how to apply for the Export Assistance Grant.

COVID-19 Tax Relief Measures NSW

All businesses are eligible for the 2021 payroll tax referral and the following new support payment arrangements:

• Payroll tax customers eligible for a 2021 COVID-19 Business Grant or JobSaver whose total grouped Australian wages for the 2021/22 financial year are $10 million or less, will have their annual tax liability reduced by 50%.
• More information on this 50% reduction will be provided when the 2021/22 annual reconciliation becomes available.
• Payroll tax customers have the option of deferring their payroll tax payments until Friday 14 January 2022.
• All customers are still required to lodge the 2020/21 annual reconciliation by the due date, which has been extended to Friday 14 January 2022.
• In addition, customers have the option of deferring their payments for the July to December 2021 return periods until Friday 14 January 2022.
• Customers will have the option of paying all of their outstanding liability in full or entering into a new Support Payment Arrangement.
• If customers choose to enter into a 2021 Support Payment Arrangement, they will have the option to include tax payable from the 2020/21 annual reconciliation and any monthly liabilities for the July to December 2021 return periods.

Click here to see more information about the COVID-19 (coronavirus) and payroll tax measures.

Jobs Plus Program

This program will close on Thursday 30 June 2022.

The Jobs Plus program provides support to Australian and international businesses that want to start or expand their operations in NSW. Program support will help reduce the costs and financial risks of growing a business or moving its operations to NSW.

Click here to see eligibility criteria and how to apply to the Jobs Plus Program.

Assistance for Indigenous Businesses

Indigenous Business Australia (IBA) is offering support to Indigenous businesses impacted by COVID-19, including those that are not existing IBA customers.

Designed in collaboration with the National Indigenous Australians Agency, assistance may include:

• loans, grants, or a combination of both to help with ongoing fixed costs
• access to specialist advice to help businesses through the COVID-19 crisis
• videos on how to manage a business during the pandemic.

Click here for more information from Indigenous Business Australia.

Hardship Review Panel

If your business or not-for-profit organisation is not eligible for the 2021 COVID-19 micro-business grant or JobSaver payment, or if your application has been refused, you may still be able to access financial support by submitting your details to the COVID-19 business hardship review panel.

Click here to apply for COVID-19 Business Support Hardship Review.

Financial institutions

The Australian Banking Association has outlined 3 key stages to repayments for eligible business owners who continue to experience financial difficulty as a result of COVID-19. This includes options to pay in full, make partial payments, or access further hardship assistance.

Customers will need to contact their financial institutions to discuss the options available to them.

Click here to see more details from the Australian Banking Association.

Financial Support for Accommodation and Food Services

JobSaver NSW – Large Tourism, Hospitality, and Recreation Businesses

This payment will close on Monday 18 October 2021.

Fortnightly payments are available to large tourism, hospitality and recreation businesses in NSW to help them maintain their NSW headcount from the day immediately prior to the month they first experienced the required decline in turnover.

Payments will be equivalent to 40% of the weekly payroll cost incurred prior to the start of COVID-19 restrictions on 26 June 2021, with a maximum weekly payment per group of:

• $300,000 for eligible businesses with an aggregated annual turnover more than $250 million and up to $500 million
• $500,000 for eligible businesses with an aggregated annual turnover more than $500 million and up to $1 billion

Fortnightly payments will be backdated to the start of the month in which a business experienced the required decline in turnover, on or after the commencement of JobSaver on Sunday 18 July 2021.

• Click here to see eligibility criteria for JobSaver NSW – Large Tourism, Hospitality, and Recreation Businesses
• Click here to apply for JobSaver NSW – Large Tourism, Hospitality, and Recreation Businesses

NSW Accommodation Support Grant

This grant will close Tuesday 30 November 2021.

Funding is available for accommodation providers that experienced cancellations for stays between Friday 25 June 2021 and Sunday 11 July 2021.

2 different grant amounts are available:

• $2,000 for cancellations of 10 nights or fewer
• $5,000 for cancellations of 11 nights or more

Click here to see eligibility criteria for the NSW Accommodation Support Grant.

Click here to apply for the NSW Accommodation Support Grant.

Stay and Rediscover Accommodation Voucher Scheme

The NSW Government’s Stay & Rediscover Voucher Scheme supports accommodation providers in the City of Sydney area. Up to 200,000 vouchers worth $100 each will be available to NSW residents to use to pay for accommodation.

Before the Stay & Rediscover Voucher Scheme is opened up to all NSW residents, it will be piloted with a small number of invited participants.

Click here to see if your business is eligible to become a Stay and Rediscover business.

Click here for more information on Stay and Rediscover.

Dine & Discover NSW Voucher Scheme

This scheme will close on Thursday 30 June 2022.

The NSW Government’s Dine & Discover Voucher scheme supports hospitality, arts, and tourism businesses.

Four vouchers, worth $25 each, are available to every NSW resident. They can be used for:

• dining in at restaurants, cafes, bars, wineries, pubs, and clubs
• takeaway meals
• entertainment and recreation, including cultural institutions, live music, and arts venues.

Vouchers are valid until June 2022.

Click here to see if your business is eligible to register for the Dine and Discover Scheme NSW.

Financial Support for Administration and Support Services

The COVID-19 Aged Care Support Program Extension

This program will close on Thursday 31 March 2022.

The COVID-19 Aged Care Support Program Extension will reimburse Residential Aged Care, National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Flexible Aged Care Program, and Home Care Package providers for eligible expenses from managing direct impacts of COVID-19. This program will help to deliver continuity of safe and quality care for consumers.

Click here to see eligibility criteria for the COVID-19 Aged Care Support Program Extension.

Click here to apply for the COVID-19 Aged Care Support Program Extension.

Support for Aged Care Workers in COVID-19 (SACWIC)

This program will close on Friday 31 December 2021.

The SACWIC grant opportunity is designed to minimise the risk of infection to aged care workers, residents and other consumers of aged care services and provide funding for out-of-pocket costs incurred as a result of COVID-19.

Click here to see the eligibility criteria for the SACWIC.

Click here to apply for the SACWIC.

Financial Support for Arts and Recreation

NSW Performing Arts COVID Support Package

This payment will close on Friday 31 December 2021. 

This package will provide urgent financial support to performing arts venues, producers, and promoters impacted by the cancellation or postponement of performances resulting from the NSW Government COVID-19 Public Health Orders from 26 June 2021.

The funding amounts will vary.

• Click here to see eligibility criteria for the NSW Performing Arts COVID Support Package.
• Click here to apply for the NSW Performing Arts COVID Support Package.

Regional Performing Arts Touring Fund

This fund will close on Tuesday 12 October 2021.

This fund will provide individuals and organisations with assistance related to the touring costs of taking a performing art show to regional and remote areas. The funding will vary on a case-by-case basis and can be used for:

• interstate and/or intrastate touring costs, including freight, transport, accommodation, and travel allowances
• a contribution towards tour coordination expenses
• costs associated with re-mounting a work, to be used to demonstrably reduce the performance fee for a presenter or venue
• a contribution towards costs associated with COVIDSafe delivery of touring. These may be costs of the presenter or costs of the touring party and may include:
  • additional cleaning or staffing costs within venues
  • touring costs for understudies or additional crew in the touring party
  • costs for Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) or other safety equipment.

Click here to see eligibility criteria for the Regional Performing Arts Touring Fund.

Click here to apply for the Regional Performing Arts Touring Fund.

Restart Investment to Sustain and Expand (RISE) Fund

This fund will close on Friday 31 December 2021.

This funding is available for organisations in the arts and entertainment sector to support cultural and creative events or activities, which without this support would be unlikely to proceed (due to constrained availability of funding to the applicant as a consequence of COVID-19).

Funding ranges from $75,000 to $2 million.

Click here to see eligibility for the RISE Fund.

Click here to apply for the RISE Fund.

Temporary Interruption Fund (TIF)

This program will close on Friday 26 November 2021.

This program provides local film and television producers with insurance coverage for new local productions which have been unable to start production due to production insurance exclusions relating to COVID-19.

Click here to see eligibility criteria for the TIF.

Click here to apply for the TIF.

The SCREEN Fund

This grant closes Friday 24 December 2021.