Business Insights and Conditions Survey questions: 15 May to 29 May 2023

These questions are for Wave 83 of the fortnightly Business Insights and Conditions Survey (BICS) dispatched on 15 May 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

Where in the UK are your sites temporarily or permanently closed, if any?

• Northern Ireland

• Scotland

• Wales

• East of England

• East Midlands

• Greater London

• North East of England

• North West of England

• South East of England

• South West of England

• West Midlands

• Yorkshire and The Humber

• Not sure

• Do not have any sites

• None of our sites are temporarily or permanently closed

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 April 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 April 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 April 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 April 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

Has your business had any extra costs due to the end of the EU transition period?

• Additional transportation costs

• Costs associated with changing supply chains

• Costs associated with the storage of goods

• Costs due to increased red tape

• Costs incurred from wasted goods

• Cost of setting up EU subsidiaries

• Extra costs in the prices of goods and services imported

• Extra tariffs or taxes

• Other (Please describe)

• Not sure

• No extra costs

Does your business intend to open any new branches or subsidiaries in the EU in the next 12 months?

• Yes

• No

• Not sure

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

How much disruption to your business have these challenges caused?

• Major disruption

• Moderate disruption

• Minor disruption

• No disruption

• Not sure

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

• Yes

• No

• Not sure

• Not applicable

Which of the following will be the main concern for your business in June 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 GB to Northern Ireland in the last 12 months?

• Yes

• No

• Not sure

In April 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 April 2023:

• Comments

Is your business using, or intending to use, increased homeworking as a permanent business model going forward?

• Yes

• No

• Not sure

• Not applicable

Why is your business using, or intending to use, increased homeworking as a permanent business model going forward?

• Ability to better match jobs to skills

• Ability to recruit from a wider geographical pool in the UK

• Ability to recruit from a wider geographical pool internationally

• Improved staff wellbeing

• Increased productivity

• Reduced carbon emissions

• Reduced overheads

• Reduced sickness absence

• Reduce wage bill

• Other (Please describe)

• Not sure

Why is your business not intending to use increased homeworking as a permanent business model going forward?

• Concerns with integrating new starters into the workplace

• Costs of employee equipment

• Difficulties managing staff remotely

• Negative impact on working culture

• Not suitable for our business

• Reduced communication

• Reduced productivity

• Reduced reliability and retention of staff

• Security concerns

• Other (Please describe)

• Not sure

On average, how did employees' hourly wages in April 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 April 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 April 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