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Households

The COVID-19 pandemic has forced many workers and families into precarity. Millions have lost work, and those who continue to work are doing so in new and trying conditions. In many countries, governments are providing direct support to ease the pressure on individuals and households. See how those responses compare on the key issues of wage and income support, food and necessities, and housing.

Wage and income support

How governments are supporting and protecting household incomes

Argentina

Designated COVID-19 as an occupational hazard

13 April 2020
Established payments to workers of small to medium sized businesses

01 April 2020
Relaxed welfare payment rules

01 April 2020
Prohibited dismissals and suspensions of workers for a period of 60 days

31 March 2020
Extended the National Installment Payment Program (Ahora12)

31 March 2020
Banned foreclosures and mortgage repayment increases

29 March 2020
Established bonus payments to healthcare workers

26 March 2020
Established a one-off payment to support vulnerable workers

23 March 2020

Australia

Extended the exemption on obligations for people receiving unemployment benefit

24 April 2020
Introduced wage subsidy

30 March 2020
Increased income support payments

22 March 2020
Allowed temporary access to superannuation, and reduced drawdown rates

22 March 2020
Provided second payment to pensioners, beneficiaries, veterans and people on health-care cards

22 March 2020
Provided one-off payment to pensioners, beneficiaries, veterans and people on healthcare cards

12 March 2020
Reduced social security deeming rates

12 March 2020
Established a wage subsidy for apprentices and trainees

11 March 2020

Austria

Provided tax credits without stipulations

24 April 2020
Authorised the federal tax office to audit recipients of coronavirus subsidies

24 April 2020
Exempted employees from paying taxes on bonuses up to EUR 3,000

04 April 2020
Increased funding for short-term work programme

28 March 2020
Provided support for artists

27 March 2020
Established short-term work programme

27 March 2020
Removed tax from bonus payments for staff in front-line jobs

25 March 2020
Extended deadline for annual tax declaration

24 March 2020
Allocated funds for tax deferrals

18 March 2020
Allocated funds for guarantees and liabilities

18 March 2020
Reduced tax pre-payments for people who lose income due to COVID-19

14 March 2020
Deferred some tax payments

14 March 2020
Allocated funding for emergency aid

14 March 2020

Brazil

Allowed workers to withdraw funds from severance indemnity fund

09 April 2020
Extended deadline for payment of taxes

03 April 2020
Provided payment for workers who have reduced hours or are unemployed

01 April 2020
Provided loans to small and medium sized companies for payroll costs

30 March 2020
Allowed Direct Credit Societies to issue credit cards

27 March 2020
Reduced interest rates on credit cards

27 March 2020
Simplified protocols allowed remote access for social security benefits

19 March 2020
Provided part payment of workers wages

19 March 2020
Provided emergency payments for informal and low income workers

18 March 2020
Reduced interest rates on payroll loan for retirees and pensioners

17 March 2020

Canada

Announced additional financial support for seniors

12 May 2020
Announced funding to boost wages for low-income essential workers

07 May 2020
Announced further increase of Canada Child Benefit for May

03 May 2020
Increased financial support for students and new graduates

22 April 2020
Provided targeted support to certain businesses and sectors

17 April 2020
Announced support for youth employment

08 April 2020
Established temporary wage subsidy program

25 March 2020
Established an emergency unemployment benefit

25 March 2020
Removed requirement for medical certificate to access sickness benefits

25 March 2020
Increased the Canada Child Benefit

18 March 2020
Provided tax credit to low income families

18 March 2020
Announced a moratorium on the repayment of Canada Student Loans

18 March 2020
Extended the work-sharing program

11 March 2020

China

Relaxed some job entry requirements

21 April 2020
Suspended depositing wages of migrant workers

09 April 2020
Guaranteed loans for entrepreneurs infected with COVID-19

07 February 2020
Required banks to relax mortgage and credit card repayment rules

07 February 2020
Exempted COVID-19 prevention workers from personal income tax

06 February 2020

Denmark

Established compensation scheme to partially reimburse wage costs

15 March 2020
Removed requirement to be available to work for welfare benefit

12 March 2020
Established reimbursement scheme for sick leave

12 March 2020
Allowed companies to reduce employees’ working hours

12 March 2020
Provided funding for initiatives to address large-scale lay-offs

12 March 2020

Germany

Signed an agreement with Austria to avoid double taxation

16 April 2020
Introduced tax measures to promote donations for aid

09 April 2020
Allowed tax-free support payments from employers to employees

09 April 2020
Signed an agreement with the Netherlands to avoid double taxation

06 April 2020
Signed an agreement with Luxembourg to avoid double taxation

03 April 2020
Compensated people for wage loss due to child care

25 March 2020
Increased access to child allowance for families with low income

25 March 2020
Expanded short-time work compensation

25 March 2020
Increased access to and coverage of income security benefits

25 March 2020
Introduced incentives to start a second job in an essential industry if on short-time work

25 March 2020
Increased how much people on government pension can earn in work income

25 March 2020
Relaxed requirements for social security contributions for short-term employment

25 March 2020

India

Issued income tax refunds early

08 April 2020
Extended deadlines for motor insurance and health policy holders

01 April 2020
Established a trust to receive public donations

29 March 2020
Provided cash transfers to the poor

26 March 2020
Subsidised wages for employees in small businesses

26 March 2020
Provided cash transfers to women

26 March 2020
Provided financial support to seniors, widows and disabled people

26 March 2020
Provided early payments under support scheme for farmers

26 March 2020
Established fund to provide support to construction workers

26 March 2020
Extended income tax return deadlines

24 March 2020

Ireland

Established a wage subsidy

24 March 2020
Established a welfare payment for people diagnosed with COVID-19 or required to self-isolate

24 March 2020
Established an unemployment payment for people who lose their jobs because of COVID-19

16 March 2020

Netherlands

Provided advance payment to local authorities for support scheme for entrepreneurs

08 May 2020
Relaxed eligibility criteria for income support for self-employed professionals

24 April 2020
Launched online platform to help people find work in much high need sectors

23 April 2020
Relaxed eligibility criteria for wage subsidy

22 April 2020
Increased funding for income support for self-employed professionals

17 April 2020
Established a wage subsidy

31 March 2020
Established wage subsidy for businesses in the Carribean Netherlands

28 March 2020
Provided income support for self-employed professionals

27 March 2020
Refunded parents for childcare payments

16 March 2020

New Zealand

Changed parental leave rules to allow essential workers to return to work without disadvantage

05 May 2020
Implemented protections against predatory lending

30 April 2020
Established new employment services to assist people to find work

28 April 2020
Extended pension and benefit payments to New Zealanders stuck overseas

17 April 2020
Relaxed student loan rules

14 April 2020
Provided payments for essential workers who must take leave from work because of COVID-19

03 April 2020
Relaxed welfare payment rules

25 March 2020
Increased wage subsidy to businesses and self-employed people

23 March 2020
Established a wage subsidy to businesses and self-employed people

17 March 2020
Increased welfare payments by NZ$25 per person per week

17 March 2020
Increased coverage of tax credit for families

17 March 2020
Established a payment to people who are unable to work during self-isolation or sickness

17 March 2020
Provided funding for redeployment of workers from struggling industries

17 March 2020

Pakistan

Provided loans to businesses for wages

10 April 2020
Provided soft loans to industries that retain their workers

31 March 2020
Established relief fund to collect donations from the public

30 March 2020
Increased borrowing limits for individuals

26 March 2020
Deferred loan payments

26 March 2020
Relaxed regulatory criteria for restructuring loans

26 March 2020
Provided lump sum stipend to low income groups

24 March 2020
Set aside funds for workers who lose their job

24 March 2020

Peru

Established subsidy for poor households in rural areas

19 April 2020
Allowed workers to make withdrawals from pension funds

13 April 2020
Allowed for workers to be suspended from work

13 April 2020
Established wage subsidy

09 April 2020
Allowed people to withdraw money from private pension funds

06 April 2020
Provided a payment to informal and self-employed workers

23 March 2020

Russia

Declared a paid holiday from 28 March to 5 April

28 March 2020

Saudi Arabia

Directed banks to postpone payments of all financing products for Saudi workers registered for social insurance

23 April 2020
Directed banks to extend the validity of ATM cards

12 April 2020
Subsidies wages of private sector employees

03 April 2020
Deferred tax payments

20 March 2020
Increased support to small to medium enterprises and limited income families

20 March 2020

Singapore

Deferred personal income tax payments for self-employed people

26 March 2020
Provided a wage subsidy

26 March 2020
Enhanced wage credit scheme

26 March 2020

South Africa

Announced second and third phases of economic response

21 April 2020
Increased social security payments

21 April 2020
Established fund to protect and create jobs

21 April 2020
Provided additional tax relief measures

21 April 2020
Relaxed requirements to access Unemployment Insurance Fund

09 April 2020
Funded humanitarian relief for vulnerable households

09 April 2020
Streamlined approach to pay outs of unemployment insurance funds

28 March 2020
Increased income support payments

25 March 2020
Established fund for public donations for COVID-19 relief measures

23 March 2020
Exempted banks from competition laws to enable coordinated debt relief

23 March 2020
Provided tax subsidies to certain working people

23 March 2020
Reduced required employer contributions to unemployment insurance fund

17 March 2020
Implemented Disaster Relief Fund

17 March 2020
Provided special leave to employees who need to self-quarantine for 14 days

17 March 2020

South Korea

Introduced wage subsidies for US Forces Korea employees

01 May 2020
Announced additional relief package for businesses and individuals

22 April 2020
Expanded childcare leave support

09 April 2020
Provided wage support and job search promotion subsidies for freelancers and the self-employed

30 March 2020
Offered emergency relief payments for households

30 March 2020
Relaxed requirements on mandatory social security payments

30 March 2020
Offered zero-interest loans for construction workers

30 March 2020
Introduced broad wage support measures for businesses

25 March 2020

Spain

Reinforced protection for fixed-discontinuous workers

21 April 2020
Provided unemployment benefits for people who lost their job in a trial period due to COVID-19

21 April 2020
Cancelled some labour inspection deadlines and reinforced penalties for companies that submit fraudulent ERTE reports

21 April 2020
Allowed temporary employees to receive unemployment benefit

01 April 2020
Delayed some social security payments

01 April 2020
Required non-essential workers to take recoverable paid leave

29 March 2020
Prohibited termination of employment contracts due to impact of COVID-19

18 March 2020

Sweden

Redirected funds to support unemployed people and those with reduced working hours

17 April 2020
Created scheme to support short term reductions in working hours

16 March 2020
Reduced time required to access paid sick leave

13 March 2020

Taiwan

Permitted delayed payment of taxes

16 March 2020
Offered compensation to quarantined individuals

11 March 2020

Thailand

Increased disability payments

28 April 2020
Reduced and deferred mandatory employee and employer contributions to social security fund

20 April 2020
Increased payments to workers who have lost work due to COVID-19

01 April 2020
Provided paid vocational training for furloughed workers

27 March 2020
Provided loans to furloughed informal workers

27 March 2020
Extended low interest emergency loans for individuals

24 March 2020
Lowered interest rates for state-owned pawn shops

24 March 2020
Extended personal income tax deadline

24 March 2020
Provided direct cash payments to informal workers

24 March 2020
Provided income support to workers who have lost work due to COVID-19

20 March 2020
Reduced the withholding tax rate

10 March 2020
Subsidised some employee’s salaries

10 March 2020

United Kingdom

Extended wage subsidy

17 April 2020
Extended wage subsidy eligibility dates

15 April 2020
Suspended recovery of benefit overpayments

03 April 2020
Relaxed annual leave rules

27 March 2020
Increased tax credits and welfare payments

20 March 2020
Suspended face-to-face health assessments for sickness and disability welfare payments

17 March 2020
Established a wage subsidy for workers on leave due to COVID-19

11 March 2020
Provided funding to local authorities to reduce taxes on vulnerable people

11 March 2020
Established a grant for self-employed people who have lost income due to COVID-19

11 March 2020
Reduced time required to access paid sick leave

04 March 2020

United States

Provided special payroll tax credit to closed or struggling businesses

27 March 2020
Issued one-time cash payments of $1,200 to most individuals

27 March 2020
Expanded unemployment insurance benefits and broadened eligibility

27 March 2020
Enacted a range of policies to support college students

27 March 2020
Delayed the tax return filing deadline to July 15

27 March 2020
Funded states’ payment and processing of unemployment claims

18 March 2020
Established paid sick leave for employees unable to work due to COVID-19

18 March 2020
Provided paid leave for carers of children and those in isolation

18 March 2020

Vietnam

Considered further stimulus package

06 May 2020
Empowered people's movement to supervise implementation of relief package

29 April 2020
Provided cash transfers to affected people, workers and household businesses

09 April 2020
Provided concessional loans to employers for workers’ salaries

09 April 2020
Deferred tax and land rent payments

08 April 2020
Proposed deferral of tax and land rent payments

04 March 2020

Food and necessities

How governments are ensuring access to food, utilities and other basic necessities

Argentina

Delegated price control powers to municipal governments

08 April 2020
Extended the National Installment Payment Program (Ahora12)

31 March 2020
Prohibited extra fees being charged on ATM operations

26 March 2020
Suspended closure of bank accounts due to lack of funds

24 March 2020
Ensured essential services are not cut due to non-payment

24 March 2020
Fixed prices for basic goods

20 March 2020

Australia

Introduced principles for hardship support by state governments

09 April 2020
Increased funding for emergency relief services for vulnerable Australians

29 March 2020
Established Supermarkets Taskforce

20 March 2020

Austria

Required masks to be worn in grocery stories

11 April 2020
Required grocery stores are implement hygiene measures

03 April 2020

Canada

Provided funding to support farmers, food businesses and food processors

05 May 2020
Provided funding to charities and non-profit organizations

21 April 2020
Provided funding to food banks and local food organizations

03 April 2020
Provided funding for support to Canadian seniors

29 March 2020

Germany

Allowed consumers and debtors to freeze payments

27 March 2020

India

Provided free food packages to poor people

26 March 2020

Ireland

Extended fuel allowance

31 March 2020
Suspended gas and electricity disconnections

16 March 2020

Morocco

Monitored the market for essential goods to ensure stability of supply

15 March 2020
Ensured stocks of essential non-perishable products were guarenteed to meet demand

12 March 2020

Nepal

Discounted electricity costs

29 March 2020
Subsidised essential food items and fuel

29 March 2020
Fined price gougers

05 March 2020

Netherlands

Provided extra funding for food banks

24 March 2020

New Zealand

Provided funding for food and welfare services

22 April 2020
Increased support payment for energy costs

17 March 2020

Pakistan

Declared mobile communications and internet services as essential services

09 April 2020
Created guidelines to keep industries and shops operational

31 March 2020
Established relief fund to collect donations from the public

30 March 2020
Established a youth force to distribute food and necessities

27 March 2020
Subsidised basic food items

24 March 2020
Reduced fuel prices

24 March 2020
Relaxed payment requirements for electricity and gas bills for some consumers

24 March 2020
Removed or reduced taxes on essential food items

24 March 2020

Peru

Imposed payment plans and moratorium on gas and electricity payments

04 April 2020
Imposed payment plans for telecommunications services

04 April 2020
Imposed a quarantine for two weeks and limited travel and purchase of essential goods

16 March 2020

Saudi Arabia

Prohibited power cuts for customers who fall behind in paying electricity bills

24 March 2020

South Africa

Allocated additional funds to municipalities for water, food and housing

21 April 2020
Provided food parcels

21 April 2020
Established support scheme for informal convenience stores and general dealers

18 April 2020
Relaxed some lockdown restrictions relating to certain essential goods

16 April 2020
Asked municipalities to suspend cuts to water supply during lockdown.

13 April 2020
Distributed food vouchers to waster reclaimers

13 April 2020
Provided funding to small-scale farmers

06 April 2020
Asked provinces provide food and accommodation to people working and living on the street

28 March 2020
Prohibited the sale of non-essential goods

26 March 2020
Allowed agriculture and food supply sector to continue to operate

24 March 2020
Provided funding to the Land Bank to assist farmers

24 March 2020
Monitored essential goods to prevent price gouging

24 March 2020
Required restaurants, taverns and clubs to close or limit capacity to 50 persons

18 March 2020

South Korea

Provided food and other essential supplies for residents in self-isolation

05 March 2020

Spain

Guaranteed supply of water, electricity and gas to vulnerable consumers

18 March 2020
Prohibited the termination of electricity supply to the vulnerable

18 March 2020

Thailand

Waived or reduced electricity charges for three months for some households

21 April 2020
Offered 10GB free data to mobile users

10 April 2020
Provided utilities subsidy for individuals

10 March 2020

United Kingdom

Established fund to support food distribution organisations in England

03 April 2020
Delivered food parcels to vulnerable people

27 March 2020
Provided meal vouchers to school students who would otherwise get free school meals

19 March 2020
Required businesses to provide government with information about food supply

17 March 2020

United States

Expanded food assistance for low-income and vulnerable populations

18 March 2020
Covered school meals for low-income students whose schools have closed

18 March 2020

Vietnam

Resumed rice exports

28 April 2020
Restarted some non-essential businesses

24 April 2020
Reduced electricity bills for affected businesses and households

16 April 2020
Reduced internet and telecommunications charges

02 April 2020
Monitored food supply

04 March 2020

Housing

How governments are easing the pressure on homeowners and renters

Argentina

Freezed rent for six months

29 March 2020
Banned evictions for six months

29 March 2020
Banned foreclosures and mortgage repayment increases

29 March 2020

Australia

Introduced a 6-month ban on rental evictions

29 March 2020

Austria

Allowed tenants postpone payments until end of 2020

16 April 2020

Canada

Launched an Insured Mortgage Purchase Program

26 March 2020
Increased funding for anti-homelessness programme

18 March 2020

Germany

Protected residential tenants from eviction

23 March 2020

India

Extended government housing placements for residents

25 March 2020

Ireland

Banned evictions from residential tenancies

19 March 2020
Banned residential rent increases

19 March 2020
Extended notice period to end short term residential tenancies

19 March 2020
Worked with banks to provide debt payment holidays

18 March 2020

Nepal

Required landlords to waive rent

29 March 2020

Netherlands

Provided tax relief to residents in the Caribbean Netherlands

05 May 2020
Allowed tenants to extend temporary tenancies

21 April 2020
Tasked local authorities to find housing for asylum seekers

16 April 2020
Agreed mortgage holidays for homeowners

07 April 2020
Protected holiday park residents from eviction

03 April 2020
Established public health guidance for homeless shelters

27 March 2020
Protected tenants from eviction

26 March 2020

New Zealand

Increased funding for emergency accomodation

26 April 2020
Provided funding for food and welfare services

22 April 2020
Extended time for landlords to cancel commercial leases and mortagagees to exercise rights

15 April 2020
Provided motel accommodation for homeless people

12 April 2020
Banned rent increases for six months

25 March 2020
Protected tenants from eviction for three months

25 March 2020
Provided debt holiday to mortgage-holders and small to medium businesses

24 March 2020

Pakistan

Expanded the network of shelter homes

24 March 2020

South Africa

Allocated additional funds to municipalities for water, food and housing

21 April 2020
Suspended evictions during national lockdown

13 April 2020
Asked provinces provide food and accommodation to people working and living on the street

28 March 2020

Spain

Suspended evictions of vulnerable persons with no alternative housing

01 April 2020
Allowed for tenants to request extraordinary extension on term of lease

01 April 2020
Funded rent subsidies in autonomous communities

01 April 2020
Guaranteed line of credit for housing

01 April 2020
Banned mortgages for the acquisition of vulnerable debtors’ dwellings

18 March 2020

United Kingdom

Banned evictions from rented accommodation for three months

18 March 2020
Provided emergency support for homeless people

17 March 2020

United States

Issued protections against foreclosures and evictions

27 March 2020

Vietnam

Deferred tax and land rent payments

08 April 2020
Proposed deferral of tax and land rent payments

04 March 2020

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