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Welcome back to our Weekly Digest. We hope you and your family are safe and doing well. Read on for this week’s update.

JobKeeper Changes Coming in September

This week the PM announced the JobKeeper wage subsidy scheme will be extended from September through to March next year, with some changes. This comes as businesses continue to struggle and as an increase in infections has been reported in the southeast.

The JobKeeper subsidy has been extended to 28th March 2021. However, there are some changes that you should know about. Please be aware there are still plenty of “unknowns” surrounding the next steps but we will update you as we get more details.

JobKeeper 2.0

The next phase of JobKeeper will start at the end of September at a reduced rate of $1200 per fortnight for full-time workers and those working for more than 20 hours per week, down from $1500 per fortnight previously. Meanwhile, those working for less than 20 hours a week will receive $750 per fortnight.

JobKeeper 3.0

From 4th January 2021 the payments will further decrease to $1000 per fortnight for full-time workers, and to $650 per fortnight for those working less than 20 hours per week.

New Eligibility Test

From October, the payment will be subject to a new eligibility test which assesses whether the business recovered in the last 6 months.

It is important to note that these changes are yet to be legislated, which means that they are subject to change. As the finer details become available, we will pass them on. If you need help in evaluating the impact of these changes to your current situation, feel free to contact us for guidance.

Government-backed COVID-19 Loans Extended

The government is extending the small business COVID-19 loans scheme until June 2021. The second phase will kick off on October 1 with the following changes:

• Loans will be provided for purposes other than working capital;
• Secured loans (i.e. where collateral is presented) will be permitted in addition to unsecured loans;
• The maximum loan size will increase four-fold to $1 million, up from $250,000 per borrower;
• The maximum loan term will increase to five years, up from three years; and
• Lenders will have additional discretion to offer repayment holidays.

If you need help to avail these loans or you want to find out if you are eligible, don’t hesitate to drop us a message.

Beware of COVID-19 Scams

Scammers are taking advantage of the COVID-19 pandemic to con people into giving their money or confidential personal information. Here are some of the COVID-19 scams to look out for:

• Scams offering COVID-19 testing, vaccines, or a cure
• Fake charities
• “Person in need” scams
• Scams targeting Social Security benefits

While the reason behind the fraud is new, the tactics are familiar. The best defence is to say No if anyone contacts you asking for your personal information like, bank account or credit card details, or driver’s licence number; someone you don’t know requests money through a payment app or pre-paid gift cards; someone you don’t know sends you a cheque for some reason and asks you to send a portion back; or simply your gut tells you that it is too good to be true or it doesn’t feel right.

It pays to be wary in these situations so please be on the lookout for these scams.

State grants and support programs

Along with national assistance, each state and territory has announced various grants and assistance packages which you may be eligible for. You can find a roundup of these grants on the Government’s Business website. Alternatively, you can also contact us so we can discuss which options are most suitable for your business.

What’s next?

We’ll keep you updated if as we get more news and updates.

Now is the time to prepare a budget and cash flow forecast so you’re ready and well prepared for the coming months.  If this is something you need assistance with, pop an email through to info@bookwiz.biz