COVID-19 Disaster Payment

Eligible Queensland workers who are impacted by the State's lockdowns can apply for the Commonwealth Government’s COVID-19 Disaster payment of:

• $750 pw for individuals who lose 20 or more hours of work during the period of the lockdown; and
• $450 pw for individuals who lose between 8 and 20 hours of work, or a full day of work, during the period of the lockdown.

There is no liquid assets test to receive these payments. 

The payments will be available from day one of the lockdown, with claims made from day eight in arrears, and a weekly payment then made for the duration of the Commonwealth hotspot declaration.

Applications can be made on the Services Australia website.

The COVID-19 Disaster Payment is non assessable income and non exempt income for tax purposes. This applies to assessments for the 2020-21 income year onwards.

Prime Minister's announcement 28 July 2021

Premier’s announcement 31 July 2021

Premier’s announcement 8 August 2021

Apply at Services Australia

2021 COVID-19 Business Support Grant

QLD Government funded Business Support Grants of $5,000 for eligible small and medium businesses and not for profits and large tourism and hospitality businesses and NFPs across QLD impacted by the COVID-19 lockdowns.

Eligibility requirements for small and medium businesses and NFPs – you must:

• employ staff
• have headquarters in QLD
• have annual turnover of more than $75,000p.a.
• have an annual payroll in QLD up to $10 million
• show or declare a reduction in turnover of 30% or more for a 1 week period that includes at least 1 full day of the:
  • SEQ lockdown commencing 31 July 2021;
  • Cairns and Yarrabah lockdown commencing 8 August 2021; or
  • any other lockdown in QLD in August 2021

Eligibility requirements for large tourism and hospitality businesses and NPs are as above and you must operate in the tourism and hospitality sector – check the ANZSIC codes 

Applicants should refer to the Business Queensland website for detailed eligibility criteria, guidelines, FAQs and the accountant letter template.

The grant may be tax free now that the Commonwealth Bill has passed. Refer to the ATO guidance. 

Applications open: midday on 16 August 2021.

Applications close: 16 November 2021.

Treasurer’s announcement 2 August 2021

Premier’s announcement 10 August 2021


Employment Minister’s announcement 10 August 2021

Business Queensland information

Guidelines

Frequently asked questions

Accountant letter template

Apply via the QRIDA portal

Tax Legislation 

ATO guidance

The Commonwealth and QLD Governments have agreed to jointly fund an increase in the value of the 2021 COVID-19 Business Support Grants to $600M (up from $260M) to provide additional support for non-employing sole traders and small, medium and large businesses that have experienced a decline in turnover of more than 30%. 

The package includes:

• A $1,000 one-off grant to non-employing sole traders across QLD;
• Tiered payments based on payroll size for all businesses across QLD:
  • A $5,000 one-off, top-up grant to small businesses with payroll of less than $1.3 million
  • A $10,000 one-off, top-up grant to medium businesses with payroll between $1.3 million and $10 million
  • A $25,000 one-off, top-up grant to large sized tourism and hospitality businesses with payroll of greater than $10 million.

Applications opened at 12pm (midday), 16 August 2021 for employing QLD businesses.

Applications are not yet open for non-employing sole traders in QLD. The online application form will be available in September. If you meet the eligibility criteria, you can register your interest now.

The payments may be tax free now that the Commonwealth Bill has passed. Refer to the ATO guidance.

Subscribe to the QLD Government’s Small Business Connect newsletter for updates.

Treasurer’s announcement 13 August 2021

Business Queensland information

Small Business Connect newsletter

Register your interest to apply

Tax Legislation

ATO guidance

QLD Government funded $47.75 million support package for eligible hospitality or tourism business impacted by the recent COVID-19 lockdowns in SEQ or Cairns of any further lockdowns in QLD in August 2021 including rebates, fee and payroll tax relief measures:

• Payroll tax deferral for 6 months
• 12-month state land rent deferral for tourism operators
• Fee waiver and refunds for commercial tourism daily passenger fees
• 12-month fee waiver or refund of inbound tour operator fees
• COVID-19 marine tourism rebate
• Liquor licensing fees waived for 2021–22
• 2021 COVID-19 Business Support Grants of $5,000 expanded to include large tourism and hospitality businesses in QLD.

Applications open at 12pm (midday), 16 August 2021.

Refer to the Business Queensland website for further information and subscribe to the QLD Government’s Small Business Connect newsletter for updates. 

A rebate for eligible small and medium businesses and not for profits to help cover up to 80% of professional cleaning expenses, capped at $10,000 per incident.

Eligibility:

• a business premises located in QLD
• annual payroll in QLD of not more than $10 million
• the business is listed as a COVID-19 exposure site on the QLD Health contact tracing (exposure sites) – coronavirus website
• undertaking a professional clean/ deep clean of the affected worksite in accordance with the QLD COVID-19 cleaning, disinfection and waste management guidelines

The clean must be undertaken in the 2021–22 financial year. This includes cleaning aligned to the SEQ and Townsville lockdown that commenced on 29 June 2021.

More details on how to access the rebate through the Business Queensland website will be available in the near future.

The Queensland Small Business Commissioner (QSBC) provides information and advocacy support to small businesses, and informal resolution and mediation of matters related small business leases impacted by COVID-19.