Minister Donohoe encourages eligible businesses to claim CRSS
The Minister for Finance, Paschal Donohoe TD, has today (Friday) encouraged eligible businesses to make their claim for the Covid Restrictions Support Scheme (CRSS) for the period of restrictions up to the 1st of December 2020. The CRSS is a targeted support for businesses directly impacted by restrictions introduced by the Government under public health regulations to combat the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic with the result that they have to temporarily close or significantly restrict access to their premises. Under the Scheme, qualifying businesses can apply to the Revenue Commissioners for a cash payment up to a maximum of €5,000 for each week that their business is affected by the Covid restrictions.
The details of the Scheme are set out in Finance Bill 2020 and the Legislation provides that a claim for the CRSS must be made within 8 weeks, of the commencement of the claim period.
The most recent period of restrictions covers the period up to 1 December. If a business was restricted in a relevant geographical location at Level 3 their claim period runs from 13 October to 1 December, whereas the claim period for a business affected by Level 4 or 5 restrictions runs from 19 October to 1 December. The CRSS claim systems is operated on a weekly basis, therefore
- for claim periods beginning on 13 October 2020, businesses must register and claim before 13 December at the latest;
- for claim periods beginning on 22 October 2020, when nationwide Level 5 restrictions were put in place, businesses must register and claim before 20 December at the latest.
One payment will be made in respect of the claim period, with payments made within 3 days of a qualifying claim.
Minister Donohoe said:
“The Covid Restrictions Support Scheme has provided much needed support to almost 13,000 businesses which have had to close as a result of the restrictions necessary to address the spread of Covid 19. There may be some business who are eligible for the scheme but have not yet registered or made a claim. I want to encourage those businesses to sign up for the scheme within the 8 week claim period.
For businesses who may reopen this week, they are no longer eligible for CRSS, however they may claim an extra week payment to help them with expected costs of reopening. This may be claimed through the Revenue Online System as is the case with the CRSS claims.
Additional seasonal support will be provided through CRSS to qualifying business that will continue to stay closed, through December, due to the extension of public health restrictions announced last Friday. For certain businesses, Christmas is a particularly busy trading period, and we recognise that by asking them to remain closed this incurs an additional financial impact. The additional support will be up to a double payment of CRSS support for a period of three weeks subject to the statutory maximum payment of €5,000 per week. This will be payable for the weeks commencing 21st and 28th December and 4th January.
The CRSS is just one part of the Government’s supports which also include the wage subsidy schemes and temporary reduction in the VAT rate. Specific sectoral schemes are also being rolled out which will support many businesses who may not qualify for CRSS.
I’m encouraging all eligible businesses to register with Revenue on ROS for the scheme so that they can participate in the scheme with payments issuing in 2-3 days following receipt of a valid claim.”