Business Insights and Conditions Survey questions: 10 to 23 July 2023

These questions are for Wave 87 of the fortnightly Business Insights and Conditions Survey (BICS) dispatched on 10 July 2023.

Which of the following statements best describes your business’s trading status?

• Currently fully trading

• Currently partially trading

• Paused trading but intends to restart in the next two weeks

• Paused trading and does not intend to restart in the next two weeks

• Permanently ceased trading

Which of the following statements best describes your business’s exporting status?

• Exported in the last 12 months

• Exported more than 12 months ago

• Never exported but have goods or services that could be developed for export

• Never exported and do not have goods or services suitable for export

• Not sure

How did your business's exporting in June 2023 compare with this calendar month last year?

• Exported more

• Exporting stayed the same

• Exported less

• Business was unable to export

• Not sure

How did your business's cost of exporting in June 2023 compare with this calendar month last year?

• Cost increased

• Cost stayed the same

• Cost decreased

• Not sure

How did the time spent on exporting in June 2023 compare with this calendar month last year?

• Time spent increased

• Time spent stayed the same

• Time spent decreased

• Not sure

Did your business experience an increase in any of the following exporting challenges in June 2023, compared with the previous calendar month?

• Additional paperwork

• Change in exchange rates

• Change in transportation costs

• Customs duties or levies

• Destination countries changing their border restrictions

• Disruption at UK borders

• Finding information on how to export

• Lack of hauliers to transport goods or lack of logistics equipment

• Reduced demand for products and services

• Time taken for checks at the border

• Work permit or visa restrictions, or lack of mutual recognition of professional qualifications

• Other (Please describe)

• Did not experience an increase in any exporting challenges

What was the main cause of these exporting challenges?

• Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic

• End of the EU transition period

• Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and the end of the EU transition period

• Other (Please describe)

• Not sure

Does your business currently use rules of origin to access lower or zero tariffs on exports?

• Yes, to EU countries

• Yes, to non-EU countries

• Yes, to both EU and non-EU countries

• No

• Not sure

How has using rules of origin when exporting to the EU changed the amount of administration for your business?

• Administration has increased

• Administration has stayed the same

• Administration has decreased

• Not sure

Why does your business not currently use rules of origin to access lower or zero tariffs?

• Administrative costs of rules of origin outweigh the potential tariff saving

• Exports do not meet rules of origin requirements

• Lack of understanding, staffing or expertise to use rules of origin

• The business has attempted to use rules of origin but has been unsuccessful

• The EU does not charge tariffs on the goods the business exports

• Other (Please describe)

• Not sure

• Not applicable

Which of the following statements best describes your business’s importing status?

• Imported in the last 12 months

• Imported more than 12 months ago

• Never imported

• Not sure

How did your business's importing in June 2023 compare with this calendar month last year?

• Imported more

• Importing stayed the same

• Imported less

• Business was unable to import

• Not sure

How did your business’s cost of importing in June 2023 compare with this calendar month last year?

• Cost increased

• Cost stayed the same

• Cost decreased

• Not sure

How did the time spent on importing in June 2023 compare with this calendar month last year?

• Time spent increased

• Time spent stayed the same

• Time spent decreased

• Not sure

Did your business experience an increase in any of the following importing challenges in June 2023, compared with the previous calendar month?

• Additional paperwork

• Change in exchange rates

• Change in transportation costs

• Custom duties or levies

• Disruption at UK borders

• Finding information on how to import

• Lack of hauliers to transport goods or lack of logistics equipment

• Suppliers not customs ready

• Time taken for checks at the border

• Other (Please describe)

• Did not experience an increase in any importing challenges

What was the main cause of these importing challenges?

• Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic

• End of the EU transition period

• Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and the end of the EU transition period

• Other (Please describe)

• Not sure

Which of the following, if any, will be the main concern for your business in August 2023?

• Business rates

• Competition with other UK businesses

• Energy prices

• Exchange rates

• Falling demand of goods and services

• Inflation of goods and services prices

• Interest rates

• Property rental costs

• Supply chain disruption

• Taxation

• Other (Please describe)

• Not sure

• No concerns for the business

Which, if any, of the following skills has your business had high demand for in the last 12 months?

• Advanced digital skills

• Basic digital skills

• Customer service skills

• Management or leadership skills

• Manual skills

• Transferable skills

• Other (Please describe)

• None of the above

Which, if any, of the following skills does your workforce require extra support or training in?

• Advanced digital skills

• Basic digital skills

• Customer service skills

• Management or leadership skills

• Manual skills

• Transferable skills

• Other (Please describe)

• None of the above

On average, how did employees’ hourly wages in June 2023 compare with employees’ hourly wages in the previous calendar month?

• Wages increased

• Wages stayed the same

• Wages decreased

• Not sure

Is your business currently experiencing a shortage of workers?

• Yes

• No

• Not sure

• Not applicable

How has the shortage of workers affected your business?

• Employees working increased hours

• Business had to pause trading entirely

• Had to pause trading of some of the business

• Business had to recruit temporary workers

• Unable to meet demands

• Other (Please describe)

• Not sure

• Business has not been affected

Which of the following agreements, if any, does your business use in contracts of employment for current employees?

• Non-compete agreements

• Confidentiality agreements

• Non-recruitment of co-worker agreements

• Non-solicitation agreements

• No-poaching agreements

• Not sure

• Prefer not to say

• Not applicable

Approximately, what percentage of your business current employees have these agreements in their contracts of employment?

• Less than 10%

• Between 10% and 24%

• Between 25% and 49%

• Between 50% and 75%

• More than 75%, but not all employees

• All employees

• Not sure

• Prefer not to say

In the last 12 months, has your business had any job applicants with one of these agreements in their current or most recent roles?

• Yes, and the business hired all the job applicants

• Yes, and the business hired some of the job applicants

• Yes, and the business did not hire any of the job applicants

• No

• Not sure

• Prefer not to say

Please tell us anything else about your business’s current situation relating to topics covered in this survey:

• Comments