Business Insights and Conditions Survey questions: 17 April to 30 April 2023

These questions are for Wave 81 of the fortnightly Business Insights and Conditions Survey (BICS) dispatched on 17 April 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 March 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 March 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 March 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 March 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

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 March 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 March 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 March 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 March 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

Does your business manufacture, import, or distribute products that require either a CE marking or the new UKCA marking?

• Yes, we manufacture products that need a CE or UKCA marking

• Yes, we import products that need a CE or UKCA marking

• Yes, we distribute products that need a CE or UKCA marking

• Not sure

• No, we do not manufacture, import or distribute products that need a CE or UKCA marking

Is your business aware that most CE marked products need to be UKCA marked from 1 January 2025?

• Yes

• No

• Not sure

Is your business using, or intending to use, the UKCA marking by 1 January 2025?

• Already using UKCA marking

• Not aware of, or do not know how to meet, requirements for the UKCA

• Not using the UKCA marking, but plan to by 1 January 2025

• Will not use UKCA marking, as not relevant to our products or business

• Not sure

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

• Not applicable

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

• Not applicable

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

• Business rates

• Competition with other 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

In the last 12 months, has your business sold goods or services to customers in other UK nations?

• Yes

• No

• Not sure

In the last 12 months, which of the following challenges, if any, has your business experienced when selling goods or services to customers in other UK nations?

• Challenges related to the Northern Ireland Protocol

• Differences in rules or regulations

• Lack of demand

• Supply chain disruption

• Transport capacity

• Transport costs

• Other (Please describe)

• Not sure

• Business did not experience any challenges

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

• Yes

• No

• Not sure

In March 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 March 2023:

• Comments

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

• Yes

• No

• Not sure

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

• Volume increased

• Volume stayed the same

• Volume decreased

• Stopped sending goods to GB

• Not sure

• Not applicable

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

• Comments

Is your business intending to permanently close any business sites in the next three months?

• Yes

• No

• Not sure

• Not applicable

Where in the UK are the sites that will permanently close in the next three months?

• 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

How do you expect closing these sites to affect your workforce?

• Decreased hours

• Increased hours

• Move to remove working

• Permanent redundancies

• Relocation

• Other (Please describe)

• Not sure

• Workforce will not be affected

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 March 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 March 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 March 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