On the 27th of May, The Victorian Government implemented circuit breaker lockdown across the state in an attempt to stop a COVID outbreak in Metropolitan Melbourne and Regional Victoria.
Business Cost Assistance Program Funding
To assist businesses who are / were affected by the circuit breaker lockdown, the Victorian Government have issued a $371 million support package.
This support package will provide cash grants to affected businesses of either $2,500 or $5,000 for eligible business.
Eligible Businesses:
Business Victoria have released a list of ANZIC industry codes of Businesses who are eligible to apply for the Program grant. If your business ANZSIC industry code is not on the list, you are not eligible for funding through this Program.
Refer to the approved ANZSIC industry code list which can be found here.
If your business ANZSIC industry code is on this list, to be eligible for the Program funding, a business must:
- Be located within Victoria;
- Be registered as operating in an eligible industry sector identified in the List of Eligible ANZSIC classes (as defined by the ANZSIC class linked to the business’ ABN);
- Have incurred direct costs as a result of the circuit breaker action and the business cannot predominantly operate remotely; and
- Have an annual Victorian payroll of up to $10 million in 2019-20 on an ungrouped basis; and
- Be registered for Goods and Services Tax (GST) on 27 May 2021; and f) Hold an Australian Business Number (ABN) and have held that ABN at 27 May 2021; and
- Be registered with the responsible Federal or State regulator.
If you are an employing business, you must also:
- Be registered with WorkSafe Victoria; and
- Attest that the business is supporting its workers to access any paid leave entitlements, or that if a person can work from home, to work from home during the circuit breaker action, and supporting their casual workers, where possible.
Further details of these other eligibility requirements are available here.
Available Funding:
The total value of a grant under the Program is up to $5,000.
For businesses that meet the standard eligibility criteria:
- businesses that were directly affected by the circuit breaker industry restrictions between 28 May up to and including 3 June 2021 will be eligible for funding of $2,500; and
- businesses that remain directly affected by the circuit breaker industry restrictions on and from 4 June 2021 will be eligible for funding of $5,000.
The Department will determine the value of the grant based on an assessment of the Applicant’s business location and ANZSIC class.
A business as defined by its ABN can only receive one grant under the Program.
Licensed Hospitality Venue Fund 2021
An additional $70 million Licensed Hospitality Venue Fund has been released by Business Victoria to assist business who hold a Liquor License (Licensees) and are / were affected by the circuit breaker lockdown.
If you hold a Liquor License, you will be invited to submit an application for a grant under this Program using your registered eLicence email.
Liquor licensees that do not have an eLicence email can provide this through their Liquor Portal account here.
Detailed instructions on how to register an eLicence email are available at the VCGLR website can be found here.
Refer to the following link for the Guidelines of other eligibility requirements to receive this Liquor License grant which can be found here.
Available Funding:
The grant funding to be provided to eligible businesses will be based on the location of the Premises as specified on the liquor licence and the food Certificate of Registration.
The grant amount will be:
- $3,500 per Premises located in regional Victoria
- $7,000 per Premises located in metropolitan Melbourne.
An eligible business as defined by its ABN can only receive one grant per Premises.
Where a business operates more than one Premises under its ABN, the business must make a separate application for each individual Premises.
The Davidsons team is here to assist with your eligibility assessment and Grant facilitation if required. For more information contact your Davidsons team member. Alternatively call us on 03 5221 6399 or email us at info@davidsons.com.au for more assistance.
Disclaimer: this information is of a general nature and should not be viewed as representing financial advice. Users of this information are encouraged to seek further advice if they are unclear as to the meaning of anything contained in this article. Davidsons accepts no responsibility for any loss suffered as a result of any party using or relying on this article.