7.4 Support for businesses to keep them afloat

Covid by the Numbers Report

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7.4. Support for businesses to keep them afloat | Te tautoko mō ngā pakihi kia toitū ai

The Government offered various schemes to provide financial support for businesses facing a loss of revenue due to the pandemic. This section provides details of three such schemes, which operated between 2020 and 2022.

7.4.1. Small Business Cashflow Scheme | Te Kaupapa Pūtea Kapewhiti
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The Small Business Cashflow Scheme supported small to medium businesses and organisations facing a loss of revenue due to COVID-19.⁴³ Under this scheme, $2.3 billion was paid to more than 128,000 businesses. Based on the data up to 24 June 2020, most applications and approved loans were for businesses based in Auckland (Figure 108).

Figure 108: Small Business Cashflow Scheme loans, by region

Number of loans and total loans approved ($ millions), as of 24 June 2020

Source: Inland Revenue and The Treasury, Extension of the Small Business Cashflow (Loan) Scheme After 24 July 2020

Figure 109 breaks down the Small Business Cashflow Loans by industry. Based on the data up to 24 June 2020, the most applications and approved loans were from businesses in the construction industry, followed by the accommodation industry.

Figure 109: Small Business Cashflow Scheme loans, by industry

Number of loans and total loans approved ($ millions), as of 24 June 2020

Source: Inland Revenue and the Treasury, Extension of the Small Business Cashflow (Loan) Scheme After 24 July 2020

7.4.2. Resurgence Support Payment | Te Utunga Āwhina Ararewa

The Resurgence Support Payment was paid to help support viable and ongoing businesses or organisations that had experienced a 30% drop in revenue over seven days due to increased COVID-19 alert levels. Through this initiative $2.9 billion was paid to 231,000 eligible recipients, mostly companies.⁴⁴ Most recipients were in Auckland (Manukau and Takapuna) (Figure 110).

Figure 110: Resurgence Support Payment, by region

Number of distinct recipients and total payments ($ millions), as of 20 January 2022

Source: Inland Revenue, 'Resurgence Support Payment disbursements statistics', last updated 22 October 2025, https://www.ird.govt.nz/about-us/tax-statistics/resurgence-support-payment-statistics

The largest numbers of recipients were in the construction industry, but total payments were higher for the accommodation and food services industry (Figure 111).

Figure 111: Resurgence Support Payment, by industry

Number of distinct recipients and total payments ($ millions), as of 20 January 2022

Source: Inland Revenue, 'Resurgence Support Payment disbursements statistics', last updated 22 October 2025, https://www.ird.govt.nz/about-us/tax-statistics/resurgence-support-payment-statistics

7.4.3 COVID-19 Support Payment | Te Utunga Āwhina KOWHEORI-19

The COVID-19 Support Payment was paid to help support viable and ongoing businesses or organisations that experienced a 40% or more drop in revenue due to the pandemic. The COVID-19 Support Payment was available for a period in 2022, after the Resurgence Support Payment had closed.

Three support payment rounds between February to April 2022 paid $1.3 billion to 113,000 eligible businesses (as of 30 June 2022). Approximately half of total COVID-19 Support Payments were made to firms located in Auckland (Manukau and Takapuna) (Figure 112).

Figure 112: COVID-19 Support Payments, by region

Number of distinct recipients and total payments ($ millions), as of 30 June 2022

Source: Inland Revenue, 'COVID-19 Support Payment statistics', last updated 22 October 2025, https://www.ird.govt.nz/about-us/tax-statistics/covid-19-support-payment-statistics

Recipients of the COVID-19 Support Payment were concentrated in the construction and accommodation and food services industries, and these industries received the largest proportion of payments (Figure 113).

Figure 113: COVID-19 Support Payments, by industry