Revenue reminds businesses impacted by Covid restrictions of available supports

Today (13/01/2022), Revenue reminded businesses that are significantly impacted by the public health restrictions that came into effect on 20 December 2021 of the supports available to them and how they can be accessed.

The Covid Restriction Support Scheme (CRSS) is available for businesses in the hospitality and indoor entertainment industry who are significantly impacted by the requirement to close at 8pm each night until 31 January 2022. Impacted businesses such as bars, restaurants, theatres, and hotels as well as charities and approved sporting bodies (who operate a hospitality/indoor entertainment business activity from their business premises), who meet the revised qualifying criteria of the scheme, can apply for the CRSS for the period 20 December 2021 to 31 January 2022.

Eligible businesses that previously received CRSS payments (in respect of a premises operating a business activity in the sectors affected by current public health restrictions) can make a claim for further support via the e-Repayments facility in ROS. 

Newly established businesses (established between 13 October 2020 and 26 July 2021) in the impacted sectors outlined above are now also eligible to apply for support under the scheme. These businesses are required to first register for the CRSS via the e-Registration facility in ROS. Such businesses will be able to make a claim when it has an ‘active’ CRSS registration.

Updated guidance on the CRSS is available on the Revenue website.

In light of the public health restrictions put in place last December, the Employment Wage Subsidy Scheme (EWSS) was re-opened to certain employers that previously correctly claimed EWSS support but may have deregistered from the scheme earlier in 2021 as they were no longer eligible. The EWSS is now re-opened to such employers, once they meet the relevant eligibility criteria, with effect from 1 January 2022.

Employers who determine they are eligible to re-enter the scheme, can do so by completing and submitting a short template of required information to Revenue via myEnquiries by 15 January 2022. The relevant template and further explanatory information can be found in Revenue’s guideline on how employers can re-enter the EWSS.

Separately, some employers became ineligible for EWSS from 1 December 2021 on foot of the eligibility review completed at the end of November.  Where the December projections included in such employers’ November Eligibility Review Form (ERF) submission need to be revised, having regard to the impact of the public health restrictions announced on 20 December, they should contact Revenue via myEnquiries by 15 January 2022 to request that their November ERF be amended accordingly.

Once the November ERF has been updated by Revenue, employers can then amend their December payroll submissions to include the EWSS claim. Any December payroll submissions already filed which included an EWSS claim, do not need to be resubmitted. These will be automatically processed once the November ERF is amended. These employers are also reminded that they are required to file their December ERF by 15 January 2022. Further guidance is available for these employers on the Revenue website.

Finally, also today Revenue published updated Covid-19 Support Scheme Statistics which can be found on the COVID-19 Support Scheme Statistics page.

[Ends 13/01/2022]