In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Northern Territory Government announced a Business Hardship Package for eligible Territory businesses. The relief package is specifically targeted to support Territory businesses that have experienced significant impact to staffing and turnover.
It is designed to assist businesses with fixed business costs including the halving of power, water and sewerage bills for up to six months.
To apply for the Business Hardship package, you must register to apply to be listed on a central business hardship register.
Once your business has been assessed and approved by the Department of Trade, Business and Innovation, you will receive a Business Hardship Certificate. You can use this certificate to access financial relief from charges by government, local councils and utility providers.
You must be able to produce a copy of this certificate when applying to Power and Water for relief on your business utility bills.
In accordance with our privacy policy, we may ask you to provide some additional details to help us verify your account.
To qualify for the Business Hardship Package, you must be able to demonstrate your business:
- is a legal entity holding a valid Australian Business Number (ABN) as at 23 March 2020, and
- is a Territory enterprise, and
- is not a Government agency, Government owned body, statutory corporation, or local government, and
- has an annual turnover of no more than $50 million, and
- has experienced hardship.
Hardship means the business has suffered a reduction in turnover of 30 per cent or more as a result of the National Cabinet’s response to COVID-19.
Business customers seeking to apply for utility bill relief must be on a regulated business tariff.
This tariff has been set out in Pricing Orders issued under the Electricity Reform Act 2000 and the Water Supply and Sewerage Services Act 2000 with effect from 1 April 2020.
If you believe you are eligible, you can apply to the Northern Territory Government Department of Trade, Business and Innovation:
If you have received your Business Hardship Certificate from the Department of Trade, Business and Innovation, you will need to provide a copy of this to us to apply for utility bill relief.
