Repaying a previous COVID-19 payment

Businesses could apply for a COVID-19 payment to help to pay their employees, including self-employed people. This includes the COVID-19 Wage Subsidies and Short-Term Absence Payment.

When you need to repay

You need to repay some or all of a COVID-19 payment if you or your employee were not eligible for it during the payment timeframe. This could be because something changed later on.

You may have to make a repayment if:

• you no longer meet the criteria for the payment
• you did not use the payment to keep or pay your staff
• you provided false or misleading information in your application
• your employee has resigned, been dismissed, or no longer meets the criteria for the payment (you can use the money to pay other affected employees, or repay it)
• your employee has been made redundant or their contract finished (you need to repay the remaining amount after you've paid them their wage)
• your business has closed
• you applied for the wrong payment rate (e.g. you applied for a full-time rate when you only need the part-time rate)
• you’re self-employed and your regular business income is less than the COVID-19 payment (you need to repay the surplus)
• you’re a state sector organisation who didn’t have an exception approved, or
• your business got a payment it is not entitled to due to a Ministry of Social Development error.

How to make a repayment

You can make a repayment by filling out our online 'Repayment request' form:

You'll need to tell us your:

• business name
• IRD number
• New Zealand Business Number (NZBN), if you have one
• phone number
• email address
• postal address, and
• the amount you need to repay.

Once we process the form, we'll be in touch to confirm how to make the repayment.

If you have any questions, you can call us on 0800 40 80 40