Jersey businesses can apply for funding from Friday 17 April

Thousands of Jersey businesses can apply for help to cover salaries when the phase two of the government's payroll scheme opens for applications on Friday.

Employers will be able to get 80% of their workers' wages paid up to a value of £1,600 a month for three months.

However workers earning more than £10,000 a month do not qualify.

It follows the announcement that more industries are allowed to claim for the funding, which is designed to support businesses during lockdown.

A raft of groups spoke out after initially being excluded from this scheme, however many have now been added.

They include:

  • Air Transport

  • Private Waste Disposal

  • Freight Transport

  • Media Activities

  • Advertising and Design agencies

  • Digital Businesses

  • Estate Agencies

  • Recruitment Agents

  • Vets

  • Architects

  • Local Legal and Accountancy Practices

  • Security Firms.

This support is available for April, May and June but the government say they may extend the time period depending on the duration of lockdown.

The three month scheme has brought the total cost up to £140m. The Treasury Department has also budgeted for a potential extension of two months to bring the cost of the scheme up to £280m.

More than £1.1million has been paid to more than 4,000 businesses so far under the first phase of the scheme designed to help a small number of businesses hit hard by the crisis at the end of March.

The money is coming from the government's £906m rainy day fund and Assistant Treasury Minister, Senator Ian Gorst has made it clear the money will have to be paid back.

No details have been released on exactly how the rainy day fund will be topped up, but the Minister has confirmed it will likely involve tax increases.

More details, including the full lists of which businesses are included and which are excluded can be found on the Government of Jersey's website.