Travel agent grant eligibility guidelines updated – no ability to change BAS figures.
The formal guidelines for the Government’s $128 million Consumer Travel Support Program for travel agents have been amended to block the ability for businesses to update the figures previously reported in their Business Activity Statements for 2019.
An update posted on the grants website yesterday confirmed the move, saying “any changes to the G1 figures in your BAS for the 2019 calendar year made after 14 December 2020 will not be reflected in the certificate of tax information issued by the ATO”.
The change follows widespread confusion about the grant guidelines which have resulted in massive disparities between the payments accessible by agents of the same size, due to differences in the way they reported their sales to the Tax Office. That in turn is believed to have seen some agents amend their previously reported BAS figures to reflect TTV rather than commission on sales.
The additional guidance became effective yesterday, meaning that those who had previously been able to amend their G1 figures prior to 04 January 2021 will have those changes reflected in the ATO’s certificate of tax information.
The updated guidelines apply to all new applications commenced after 4 January 2021, the site notes.
The change comes as some of the earliest applicants for the grant program have started to already receive funds into their bank accounts this week.
More details in tomorrow’s issue of Travel Daily.