Businesses operating from a non-rateable premises such as a home office or hot-desk now eligible for help with fixed costs
Self-employed working from home, wedding planners, on-course bookmakers, travel counsellors & photographers among those expected to benefit
Micro Enterprise Assistance Scheme also reopened to help smallest businesses
The Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment Leo Varadkar TD today extended eligibility for the €60m Small Business Assistance Scheme for COVID (SBASC) to include businesses operating from a non-rateable premise like a home business or yard. The Tánaiste is also relaunching the Micro Enterprise Assistance Scheme so that our smallest businesses, those with a turnover of less than €50,000 can apply for a grant of €1000 to help with fixed costs.
The Tánaiste said:
“We have tried through various Government schemes to help as many businesses as possible with their fixed costs. By extending eligibility for the SBASC, we hope to catch those who have not qualified under our existing schemes, mainly because they don’t operate from a rateable premises.
“Those who are self-employed and working from a non-rateable premises, such as their own home for example, can apply for a €4,000 payment to help with fixed costs.
“While the grant is modest, it will make a big difference to those businesses. It is designed to help with energy bills, security, IT systems fees, legal and accounting fees or any other fixed costs that may incur as part of running a business.
“We are also relaunching the Micro Enterprise Assistance Scheme so that our smallest businesses, those with a turnover of less than €50,000 can apply for a grant of €1000.
“It has been a really tough few months for anyone brave enough to run their own business. Things are looking up now.”
The Small Business Assistance Scheme for COVID (SBASC) is for businesses which are not eligible for CRSS or other sector specific grants, that are down 75% or more of turnover.
Further details, including the go-live date for Q2, will be announced shortly. Those who applied under Phase 1 are still eligible to apply for a second payment of €4,000 if they continue to meet the criteria. Interested businesses should contact their local authority. Closing date for Phase 2 applications will be 21 July.
The Micro Enterprise Assistance Scheme is for companies facing particular hardship and that do not qualify for other government schemes. It will provide a grant of up to €1,000 to businesses with previous turnover of less than €50,000 that meet the other criteria for SBASC.
This scheme is in addition to the comprehensive package the Government has put in place to help businesses and workers during the pandemic, including the Employment Wage Subsidy Scheme (EWSS), the Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP), the Covid Restrictions Support Scheme (CRSS), low-cost loans, the deferral and warehousing of tax liabilities and the waiver of commercial rates.
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