323 companies must return support

Tax authorities have been assigned one of their biggest tasks by the government to manage the cash support scheme. They are responsible for a large cash flow to Norwegian companies in the crown crisis.

Tax director Hans Christian Holte tells E24 that he has the impression that very few are abusing the plan.

Of 28,038 applications, around 8,092 companies have so far been rejected. Of the more than 19,071 companies that have received cash support, 323 companies have to repay the money for various reasons. 76 companies have already paid.

– Are those who have to pay mainly people who have misunderstood, or conscious attempts to get more support than one is entitled to?

– It is a mixture of both. Some contact and say they will pay, some come from councils and the media, while other rebel applicants discover them ourselves. But in general, our experience is that it is mainly serious players who come close, says Holte, who will be the chief navigation officer starting in August.

At E24 we trust the advice of our readers. Contact E24 journalists by email [email protected] and [email protected], or in an encrypted message through Signal or WhatsApp at +4741381407

Red flags

Holte explains that there are no industries that stand out specifically when it comes to abuse or reimbursement.

At the same time, the controls so far have done a few things left:

• Companies that are closed for reasons other than the crown situation, such as
  Renovation example.
• The state has demanded that uncertainties about the company be closed. There may be restaurants that, for example, have been ordered by the municipality, but not by the state, to close.
• Differences between the information in the application and the tasks sent and
  reports show.
• Newly registered company in 2020 that establishes inevitable fixed costs in
  2019.
• Illogical relationship between application and other assignment.

Holte says the conditions described above are uncovered both in advance and following the distribution of cash support to companies.

– How can you know so few weeks after the cash support was available that there is little abuse?

– This is a first impression, but I don’t see any reason for us to sit down and think that now we take it easy. We will use many resources and efforts to control this, says Holte.

– Are there conditions or industries in which it is difficult to control?

– I will not say no, we have many different methods and measures, so there are no special challenges.

Show more

Far from 20 billion

So far, both the NOK 20 billion cash grant and the NOK 50 billion state loan guarantee have not been used to the extent that many originally thought.

– The government estimated in advance that up to 100,000 companies could apply. So far, around 28,000 have been submitted, does that mean the need was not as great as previously thought?

– These are good questions, and it has been difficult to estimate in advance how many would apply and qualify. But yes, much remains to be done in the first rough estimates since before the scheme was released, at the same time, the trend is that the biggest players have not yet entered the scheme.

He adds that applications have not yet been opened for April, which expires on May 15, and the application deadline for March, April and May is June 30.

– But you’re far from the 20 billion limit, do you think you will need the full amount?

– It has definitely surprised me that it is a good time until we are there, and I think we just have to see how it develops. I do not have such good conditions to consider how much we will need.