The Business Hardship Package helps Northern Territory (NT) small businesses experiencing hardship due to the COVID-19 omicron wave.

Eligible businesses can apply to be listed on the Business Hardship Register. This allows access to the Hardship Package, including the Business Hardship Grant payment.

Once added to the register, you will get a certificate. This entitles you to certain concessions and assessment for the Business Hardship Grant.

What you can get

If you’re an eligible business, you can get:

• $3,000 for employing businesses, or $1,000 for sole traders
• a 30% reduction on utility bills from January 2022 until March 2022
• a waiver on payroll tax (payroll below $5 million) from January 2022 to March 2022.

Decline in turnover of 40% or more

If you’re experiencing significant hardship, your payment will be tripled or doubled. This depends on the percentage of loss in turnover.

If you’ve experienced a decline in turnover of 60% or more, you can get:

• $9,000 for employing businesses
• $3,000 for sole traders.

If you’ve experienced a decline in turnover of 40% to 60%, you can get:

• $6,000 for employing businesses
• $2,000 for sole traders.

If you’ve already applied for the grant and are eligible, you don’t have to register again. You will automatically receive the above payments.

Who can apply

A business is eligible if it meets all of the following:

• is a Territory enterprise
• has been actively trading for 12 months or more as of 31 January 2022
• has a valid Australian business number (ABN)
• was registered for GST as of 31 January 2022
• has an annual turnover of more than $75,000 and up to $10 million for the 2020-2021 financial year
• can demonstrate a reduction in turnover of 40% or more – see before you apply section.

Who can’t apply

You can’t apply if you are a:

• government agency
• government-owned body
• registered corporation
• local government body.

Before you apply

For businesses actively trading before December 2019, you must be able to demonstrate a reduction in turnover of 40% or more:

• from December 2019 against December 2021
• from January 2020 against January 2022 or
• between December 2019 and January 2020 against December 2021 and January 2022.

If you don’t meet the above criteria

If you don’t meet a reduction in turnover between those three periods, you are still eligible if:

• you have been actively trading for more than 12 months and
• can demonstrate a reduction in turnover of 40% or more:
  • from December 2020 against December 2021
  • from January 2021 against January 2022
  • between December 2020 and January 2021 against December 2021 and January 2022.

How to apply

To apply, follow these steps:

Step 1. Read, understand and agree to the terms and conditions.

Business Hardship Register terms and conditions PDF (292.4 KB)
Business Hardship Register terms and conditions DOCX (655.4 KB)

Step 2. Apply online on the Smartygrants website.

Businesses should only apply once to the Business Hardship Register.

If you have multiple locations with the same ABN, you will be able to add them to your application.

COVID-19 vaccination requirements

From 25 December 2021, vaccination requirements will apply to all:

• NT Government contractors
• grant recipients.

To find out more, read the conditions of contract for COVID-19 mandatory requirements .

For all Department of Industry, Tourism and Trade grants, an extra declaration will be added to the terms and conditions.

Applicants must confirm they are meeting the directions of the policy. The department may ask for proof to check compliance.

If you have any questions or queries in relation to this article, please contact your Nexia Edwards Marshall NT Advisor.