Economic Stimulus 2021 – Latest Government Incentives – What can your business receive?

NSW Small Business Fees and Charges Rebate

Financial incentives offered by the NSW Government include eligible businesses being offered up to $1500 in rebates to offset the cost of specific NSW state and local government fees and charges incurred during the running of a business.

Sole traders and small business owners must:

Whilst running a business, NSW state and local government fees and charges befall most small business owners and sole traders: costs such as council rates, outdoor seating fees, event fees, food authority and liquor licences and tradesperson licences.

Eligible applicants can lodge multiple claims – as these types of expenses arise and are paid – until the $1500 rebate cap is reached.

The NSW Government stipulates that for a fee or a charge to be eligible, it must be due and paid from 1 March 2021.

There are some costs that may NOT be claimed:



SME Recovery Loan Scheme

The SME Recovery Loan Scheme was developed to aid small- and medium-sized enterprises that have an annual turnover of less than $250 million. All applicant businesses must have accessed JobKeeper during the first quarter between 4 January 2021 and 28 March 2021.

A loan under the SME Recovery Loan Scheme may be used for a broad range of business means, including but not limited to:

Loans issued under this scheme may NOT be used for purchasing residential property, for purchasing financial products, to lend to another entity nor to lease, rent or hire existing assets that are more than 50 per cent depreciated.

2021 COVID-19 Micro-business Grant 

The Federal Government will support eligible NSW micro-businesses with a fortnightly payment of $1500 per fortnight during the current Greater Sydney lockdown. To receive a cash flow boost to assist you with paying business expenses incurred from 1 June 2021, you must meet certain reduction-in-turnover criteria.

Businesses, non-employing and employing, holding an Australian Business Number (ABN) and with an annual turnover of between $30,000 and $75,000 on 30 June 2020, may be eligible if they show a two-week period since 26 June 2021 where turnover reduced by at least 30 percent compared with the same period in 2019.


2021 COVID-19 NSW Business Grant

NSW businesses, sole traders and not-for-profit organisations who have experienced financial hardship due to public health ordered restrictions may be eligible for a one-off business grant to assist you with paying business expenses incurred from 1 June 2021:
 
  Total Grant Amount   Decline in Turnover
  Minimum 2-week Period from 26 June 2021   compared with same period in 2019
  $7500   30 per cent or greater
  $10,500   50 per cent or greater
  $15,000   70 per cent or greater

To receive this business grant, it is expected that organisations maintain their staffing level – full-, part-time and casual – as of 13 July.

Businesses, non-employing and employing, with an annual turnover of between $75,000 and $50 million on 30 June 2020, as well as having total annual Australian wages of $10 million or less may apply.


JobSaver Payment

JobSaver is a payment to support cash flow for impacted businesses and enable those employers to maintain their NSW employee headcount (as of 13 July 2021).

Eligible employers may receive fortnightly payments backdated to cover costs from week 4 (from 18 July 2021) of the Greater Sydney lockdown.

A minimum $1500 per week to a maximum $10,000 per week is available and is equivalent to 40 per cent of the weekly NSW payroll as determined by your most recent Business Activity Statement (BAS) provided to the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) by 26 June 2021.

Eligibility criteria include having a national aggregated annual turnover of between $75,000 and $50 million for the year ended 30 June 2020.

Individuals running a business with no employees must show that they are the sole earner of that business may also be eligible for $1000 per week from week 4 (from 18 July 2021) of the Greater Sydney lockdown.


JobMaker Scheme

The JobMaker Scheme offers an incentive for small- and medium-sized businesses to expand their workforce and employ younger Australians in need of a job and, in turn, deliver growth potential for those businesses.

Eligible employers must register with the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) who are administering the scheme. JobMaker Hiring Credits are paid each quarter – from 1 February 2021 – for each eligible additional employee hired from 7 October 2020 until 6 October 2021.

Eligible employers may receive a JobMaker Hiring Credit of $200 a week for an employee aged 16 years to 29 years of age AND $100 a week for an employee aged 30 years to 35 years of age.


Dine & Discover NSW Vouchers

The NSW Government continues its Dine & Discover NSW voucher program. These vouchers can be used at participating NSW businesses in the hospitality industry. Any NSW resident aged 18 years and over may apply for the vouchers.

Each applicant may receive:

2 x $25 Dine NSW vouchers for takeaway meals, restaurants, cafes, bars, wineries, pubs and clubs, as well as,

2 x $25 Discover NSW vouchers for entertainment, recreation, cultural institutions, live music events and arts venues.

Vouchers are valid until 31 August 2021, an extension given the recent restricted movement periods.

2021 COVID-19 Land Tax Relief

Residential and commercial landlords who provide rent relief – between 1 July 2021 and 31 December 2021 – for tenants experiencing financial hardship can apply for up to 100 per cent land tax deduction for the 2021 land tax year. This financial relief is intended to reduce a landowner’s land tax payable for 2021.

A commercial landowner must be leasing land to a commercial tenant with an annual turnover of up to $50 million and who is eligible to receive a COVID-19 Micro-business Support Grant, the 2021 COVID-19 NSW Business Grant and/or the JobSaver Payment.

NSW Performing Arts COVID-19 Support Package

Urgent financial assistance is available now for the performing arts industry, including venues, producers, promoters who have had to postpone or cancel performances due to public health ordered restrictions from 26 June 2021 to 30 September 2021.

For eligibility criteria, please see the NSW Government’s guidelines: Guidelines_NSW-Performing-Arts-COVID-Support-Package.pdf (kinstacdn.com)

            Applications are now open (since 23 July 2021).

NSW Payroll Tax Relief

NSW payroll tax liabilities are currently deferred for all NSW employers until 7 October 2021.

The NSW Government has announced – not yet finalised – a financial incentive to assist businesses with payroll tax during the 2021-22 financial year. For payroll tax customers with a total 2021-22 Australian wages amount of up to $10 million and whose annual turnover can be shown to have declined by at least 30 per cent, their annual payroll tax liability would be reduced by 25 per cent.

The NSW Government will provide full clarification by the end of August 2021 of this payroll tax incentive.

How can YML help?

Talk to our YML Chartered Accountants Team today to see how YML Group can assist you with government financial assistance. For more information, view our website and contact us on (02) 8383 4400 or by using our Contact Us page on our website.