For those businesses impacted by the COVID-19 lockdowns in our BID area, there is support available via our partners at the Ministry of Social Development (MSD).

If you are currently still awaiting an outcome on your wage subsidy application please
get in touch with us so we can connect you with one of our local MSD advisors.

Please see the below information to see how the MSD team can help you:

If you can’t work at the moment, have lost your job, or are working fewer hours
• You may be able to get a benefit or some other financial help from Work and Income.
• If you’re struggling to pay your rent or your bills, you might be able to get some help
– even if you’re still working or on a low income.
• They can also help you look for work or training and help with the costs of getting started in a new job.

If you are sick or need time off work because of COVID-19
• If you’re being tested for COVID-19, it’s important you stay home until your results come back.
• If you can’t work from home, your employer may be able to apply for the Short-Term Absence
Payment to help them pay you.
• If you’ve been told to self-isolate because you or someone you’ve been in contact with has
COVID-19, and you can’t work from home, your employer may be able to apply for the
Leave Support Scheme to help them keep paying you.
Talk to your employer about the help that’s available so you can keep getting paid.
If you’re self-employed and can’t work from home, you can also apply for these payments.

If you need help with essential costs
Depending on your situation, there are lots of other ways Work and Income may be able to help you and your family. You don’t need to be on a benefit to get help, it’s also available to people on a low income.

They could help with:
• Food
• Accommodation costs (rent, mortgage, board)
• Power, gas and water bills
• Medical and dental costs

For more information please contact Work and Income
Even if you don’t think you qualify, call them on 0800 559 009 (Mon- Fri 7am to 6pm; and Sat 8am to 1pm) to talk about your situation.
You can also visit workandincome.govt.nz or click on “Check what you might get“.

COVID-19 Wage Subsidy August 2021 # 3 opens 17 September

The Government has opened a third round of the COVID-19 Wage Subsidy August 2021.

Applications for COVID-19 Wage Subsidy August 2021 # 3 will open at 9:00 am Friday, 17 September 2021 and close at 11:59 pm on Thursday, 30 September 2021.

To be eligible, businesses will be affected by the continuation of Alert Levels 3 or 4 and have or predict a 40% revenue decline over a 14 consecutive period between 14 – 27 September, which is the revenue test period.

The Wage Subsidy August 2021 payments are to support employers to continue to pay employees and protect the jobs of businesses affected by the change in COVID-19 Alert Levels.

Each of the payments covers two weeks and a business needs to wait until the two weeks is up before they apply for the next payment.

Read more here www.workandincome.govt.nz/covid-19

The Resurgence Support Payment is available from Inland Revenue for businesses and self-employed people to get support with business costs like rent or fixed costs and can be accessed through the Inland Revenue website. Businesses can apply for the Resurgence Support Payment at the same time as the Wage Subsidy Scheme.

Businesses and organisations can apply for the second payment of the Resurgence Support Payment from 8:00 am on Friday 17 September on Inland Revenue’s website www.ird.govt.nz. They are able to apply for the second payment even if they have received the first payment. Payments will remain open until one month after the whole of Aotearoa New Zealand returns to alert level 1.