Business Insights and Conditions Survey questions: 12 June to 25 June 2023

These questions are for Wave 85 of the fortnightly Business Insights and Conditions Survey (BICS) dispatched on 12 June 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

Has your business exported goods or services in the last 12 months?

• Exported goods only

• Exported services only

• Exported both goods and services

• Not sure

Have you changed where you have exported your goods or services to in the last three months?

• Changed from EU to non-EU

• Changed from non-EU to EU

• Changed in a different way (please describe)

• Not sure

• No changes made

Where has your business exported goods or services to in the last three months?

• EU only

• Non-EU only

• Both EU and non-EU

• Not exported in the last three months

• Not sure

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

• Exported more

• Exporting stayed the same

• Exported less

• Business was unable to export

• Not sure

Did your business experience an increase in any of the following exporting challenges in May 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

How much disruption to your business have these challenges caused?

• Major disruption

• Moderate disruption

• Minor disruption

• No disruption

• Not sure

Which of the following support options has your business benefited from, to help with exporting challenges?

• Customs and tariffs

• Export licences

• Financial support

• Finding new markets

• Finding new overseas contacts or customers

• Information on exporting

• Legal support

• Transport and distribution

• Understanding markets and demand issues

• Other (please describe)

• None of the above

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

Has your business imported goods or services in the last 12 months?

• Imported goods only

• Imported services only

• Imported both goods and services

• Not sure

Have you changed where you have sourced your imports of goods or services from in the last three months?

• Changed from EU to non-EU suppliers

• Changed from non-EU to EU suppliers

• Changed in a different way (please describe)

• Not sure

• No changes made

Where has your business imported goods or services from in the last three months?

• EU only

• Non-EU only

• Both EU and non-EU

• Not imported in the last three months

• Not sure

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

• Imported more

• Importing stayed the same

• Imported less

• Business was unable to import

• Not sure

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

• Additional paperwork

• Change in exchange rates

• Change in transportation costs

• Customs 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

How much disruption to your business have these challenges caused?

• Major disruption

• Moderate disruption

• Minor disruption

• No disruption

• Not sure

Which of the following support options would your business benefit from, to help with importing challenges?

• Customs and tariffs

• Finding new alternative supply chains

• Finding new overseas contacts or customers

• Import licences

• Information on importing

• Legal support

• Transport and distribution

• Understanding markets and demand issues

• Other (please describe)

• None of the above

Was your business able to get the materials, goods or services it needed from within the UK in May 2023?

• Yes, the business was able to get the materials, goods or services it needed

• Yes, but the business had to change suppliers or find alternative solutions

• No, the business was not able to get materials, goods or services needed

• Not applicable

Did your business experience any global supply chain disruption in May 2023?

• Yes

• No

• Not sure

• Not applicable

What was the main reason for global supply chain disruption?

• Conflict in Ukraine

• Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic

• Increased costs

• Shortage of hauliers and carriers

• Shortage of materials

• UK exiting the EU

• Other transportation issues

• Other (please describe)

• Not sure

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

• Business rates

• Competition with other UK businesses

• Energy prices

• Exchange rates

• Falling demand of goods and services

• Inflation of goods and service prices

• Interest rates

• Property rental costs

• Supply chain disruption

• Taxation

• Other (please describe)

• Not sure

• No concerns for the business

Has your business sent goods from Great Britain (GB) to Northern Ireland in the last 12 months?

• Yes

• No

• Not sure

In May 2023, how did the volume of goods your business sent from GB to Northern Ireland compare with the previous calendar month?

• Volume increased

• Volume stayed the same

• Volume decreased

• Stopped sending goods to Northern Ireland

• Not sure

• Not applicable

Please give more details about why the volume of goods sent from GB to Northern Ireland changed in May 2023:

• Comments

Does your business expect to make any of your workforce redundant over the next three months?

• Yes

• No

• Not sure

When do you expect these redundancies to happen?

• Within the next 2 weeks

• Between 2 weeks and 1 month

• Between 1 and 3 months

• Not sure

Why is your business making these redundancies?

• Automation

• Business is closing or insolvent

• Certain job roles are no longer required

• Change in management

• Relocation of the business

• Site closures

• To reduce staff costs

• Other (please describe)

• Not sure

• Prefer not to say

On average, how did employees' hourly wages in May 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

Was your business affected by industrial action in May 2023?

• Yes, the business was affected

• No, the business was not affected

• Not sure

• Not applicable

• Prefer not to say

How was your business affected by industrial action in May 2023?

• Business was unable to obtain necessary goods

• Business was unable to obtain necessary services

• Business was unable to operate fully

• Part or all of the workforce were directly involved in industrial action

• Workforce had to change their working location

• Workforce were unable to perform their roles

• Other (please describe)

• Not sure

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

• Comments