New Zealand doles out additional payments to support businesses

Companies that are suffering a fall in revenue due to the higher alert levels imposed can apply for additional resurgence support payments (RSP), said Finance Minister Grant Robertson.

Applications for payments will open on September 17, and two additional payments will be doled out after that, each three weeks apart so long as the conditions of the RSP still apply. 

To qualify, companies must suffer at least a 30% fall in revenue over seven days as a result of being under alert level 2 or higher. To qualify for the second round of payment, the decline in revenue must be over seven days after September 8. 

If eligible, businesses would receive NZ$1,500 (US$1,069) plus an additional NZ$400 (US$285) per full-time equivalent employee, up to a maximum of 50 full-time workers. 

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“The Government’s RSP was initially intended as a one-off payment to help businesses with their fixed costs, such as rent. Ministers have agreed to provide additional payments to recognise the effects of an extended period of alert level restrictions,” said the minister, according to Stuff news. 

“This will provide cashflow to businesses and support them in meeting their ongoing obligations as we come down alert levels and while Auckland remains at higher alert levels than the rest of the country,” he added.