Earthquake Support Subsidy provides financial support for businesses and self-employed or sole traders while you manage through the impact of the 14 November 2016 earthquakes.
The Earthquake Support Subsidy is a subsidy to help businesses and self-employed or sole traders impacted by the 14 November earthquakes. It aims to help you retain your staff and continue to pay them while you transition back to business as usual. The subsidy has now been further extended from 5 March. If you were approved for the previous extension (9 January-5 March) and you’re based in Kaikoura, Hurunui, or Marlborough, you may be eligible for a further extension. You can find out how to apply below.

If you are receiving the subsidy you need to make sure that you:
  • notify your employees you have applied for this subsidy, or an extension to it
  • continue employing and paying your employees you are claiming the subsidy for at the rate that they were receiving before the earthquake where possible
  • continue paying ACC levies, PAYE and holiday pay as well as other employment related expenses in respect of your employees
  • keep subsidy records in case we need to refer to them
  • You are expected to use up your business continuity insurance in the first instance. If there will be a delay in receiving these payments from their insurer, you may be able to receive Earthquake Support Subsidy until you receive their insurance payments. The subsidy will need to be repaid if you receive an insurance payment for the same period.
  • Employees in businesses receiving the Earthquake Support Subsidy will continue to be paid by their employer at the rate they were receiving before the earthquake where possible and should contact their employer with any questions about their wages or salary.
  • Employees in businesses not eligible for the Earthquake Support Subsidy should contact us to see if they are eligible for other forms of financial assistance.

Which businesses are eligible?​

Employers and sole-traders who don’t have business continuity insurance can get the Earthquake Support Subsidy extension if they meet the following criteria:
  • Kaikoura, Hurunui and Marlborough businesses who received the previous extension and
  • can demonstrate a sudden, large and sustained loss of trade and 
  • can demonstrate on-going viability following the end of the subsidy and are making efforts to trade their way back to self-sufficiency.
Wellington businesses are not eligible for the 6 March extensions.

Kaikoura, Marlborough and Hurunui areas:
  • operating in Hanmer Springs and the wider Hurunui District and can show a sudden, large and sustained drop in revenue or
  • operating in the area covered by Ward through to Cheviot on State Highway 1, and from Rotherham through Waiau, and Mount Lyford to Kaikoura and
  • either unable to access the workplace due to damage, a cordon, or an essential service that is not available or able to operate the business but experiencing a significant loss of trade due to the earthquake.

Who can't get it?
You will not be eligible for the Earthquake Support Subsidy if you are:
  • an employer who can continue to operate and/or meet your obligations to pay your employees
  • an employer who has business interruption/continuity insurance that will pay for continuation of wages for staff
  • an overseas based employer 
  • a branch of a larger organisation that also operates outside the area 
  • a government agency or government-related organisation.

How much are you entitled to?

The subsidy is for the employers who are then expected to pay their staff what they would normally receive. Employers are entitled to receive:

How to apply

You can apply online or you can call us.
Please have the following information available:
  • IRD Number
  • Your business bank account number
  • details of the staff you want the subsidy for (employees’ names, dates of birth, IR numbers and their normal hours of work).
It is OK if you don't have the IR numbers for your employees when you apply but it may be quicker for us  to complete your application if you do.

If you are applying for an extension, we'll contact you as soon as possible for further information to assess your eligibility.

apply

Or you can call the employer line on 0800 778 008 and we’ll talk with you about your situation.