Support extended for Covid-affected businesses

04 August 2021

Jersey businesses most affected by COVID-19 will receive extra financial support into the autumn and winter. This follows the recent third wave of infections and the delay to Stage 7 of the reconnection programme.

Ministers have also relaxed legal restrictions on how many people can gather in private gardens and outdoor public spaces, such as beaches. The limit of 20 people has been removed for private, outdoor events in people's gardens, including events for raising money and wedding ceremonies.

Business support schemes will be extended as follows:

Visitor Attraction and Events Scheme will be extended until March 2022
Visitor Accommodation Support Scheme will be extended until March 2022
Fixed Cost Support Scheme, where connected to the events sector, will be extended until March 2022. In addition, close-contact personal services businesses such beauticians and health and wellbeing practitioners will be able to claim until September, at which point it is anticipated that the work-from-home guidance will be relaxed
Co-Funded Payroll Scheme will be extended until September 2021 for all sectors that already qualify. The scheme will also be available to wholesale/retail and health and wellbeing businesses.

The Minister for Economic Development, Tourism, Sport and Culture, Senator Lyndon Farnham, said: “I am pleased to announce the extension of the business support measures to continue to protect livelihoods and ensure that businesses most severely affected by the pandemic receive appropriate support throughout the winter months. These schemes will remain under regular review.”

Minister for Treasury and Resources, Deputy Susie Pinel, said: “These schemes have been important pillars in our support for businesses and employees during the pandemic, and it is right that we extend them to the end of September, by which time we expect trading conditions to have improved.

“The majority of the additional spend required to extend these schemes will be met by the existing Economic Recovery allocation for 2021, and I have allocated an additional £3.6 million for the Co-Funded Payroll Scheme.”