Business Insights and Conditions Survey questions: 18 October 2021 to 31 October 2021

These questions are for wave 42 of the fortnightly Business Insights and Conditions Survey (BICS) dispatched on the 18th of October. These are the most up-to-date survey questions.

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

Please explain the reason for your business's paused trading status

Has your business made changes to supply chains due to the end of the EU transition period?

• Yes

• No

• Not sure

• Not applicable

In which of the following ways has your business changed supply chains due to the end of the EU transition period?

• Expanding to different modes of freight

• Increasing the diversity in suppliers

• Moving the supply chain away from the short straits crossings

• Using more UK suppliers

• Using more EU suppliers

• Using more non-EU suppliers

• Other

• 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

• Not sure

• No extra costs

Was your business able to get the materials, goods or services it needed from the EU over the last month?

• Yes, the business has been 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 has not been 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 over the last month?

• Yes, the business has been 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 has not been able to get the 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

Has your business been affected by recent increases in wholesale gas prices?

• Yes, production was affected

• Yes, suppliers were affected

• Yes, both production and suppliers were affected

• No, my business was not affected

• No sure

• Not applicable

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

• Yes

• No

• Not sure

Over the last month, has the volume of goods your business would normally send from GB to Northern Ireland changed?

• Volume has increased

• Volume has stayed the same

• Volume has 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 over the last month

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

• Yes

• No

• Not sure

Over the last month, has the volume of goods your business would normally send from Northern Ireland to GB changed?

• Volume has increased

• Volume has stayed the same

• Volume has 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 over the last month

How do your business's stock levels over the last month, compare to normal expectations for this time of year?

• Stock levels are higher than normal

• Stock levels have not changed

• Stock levels are lower than normal

• Not sure

• Not applicable

Over the last month, what has had the greatest impact to your business's stock levels?

• Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic

• End of the EU transition period

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

• Other

• Not sure

Is your business stockpiling any goods or materials?

• Yes

• No

• Not sure

Where are you sourcing these stockpiled goods or materials from?

• UK suppliers

• EU suppliers

• Non-EU suppliers

• Not sure

Which of the following goods or materials are you stockpiling?

• Agricultural products

• Chemicals

• Food

• Manufacturing parts

• Metals and materials

• Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

• Pharmaceuticals

• Other consumer goods

• Other

• Not sure

Where are the stockpiled goods or materials being stored?

• UK

• EU countries

• Non-EU countries

• 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

Are you aware that most CE marked products need to be UKCA marked from 1 January 2023?

• Yes

• No

• Not sure

Is your business using, or intending to use, the UKCA marking by 1 January 2023?

• 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 2023

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

• Not sure

How did the prices of materials, goods or services bought by your business change over the last month, compared with normal price fluctuations?

• Prices increased more than normal

• Prices did not change any more than normal

• Prices decreased more than normal

• Some prices increased, some prices decreased

• Not sure

• Not applicable

Please give more details about the prices of materials, goods or services that changed over the last month

How did the prices of goods or services sold by your business change over the last month, compared with normal fluctuations?

• Prices increased more than normal

• Prices did not change any more than normal

• Prices decreased more than normal

• Some prices increased, some prices decreased

• Not sure

• Not applicable

Please give more details about the prices of goods or services that changed over the last month

Has your business had an increase in demand for good or services sold over the last month?

• Yes

• No

• Not sure

• Not applicable

In the last two weeks, approximately what percentage of your business's workforce were:

• Using a hybrid model of working

• Working from home

• Working from a designated workspace

• On sick leave or not working due to coronavirus (COVID-19) symptoms, self-isolation or quarantine

• Made permanently redundant

• Other

Did your business have any employees on furlough at the end of the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme?

• Yes

• No

• Not sure

Following the end of the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, approximately what percentage of those furloughed employees have:

• Been made permanently redundant

• Returned to work on increased hours

• Returned to work on the same number of hours

• Returned to work on reduced hours

• Voluntarily left their role

• Other

Is your business using, or intending to use, any of the following safety measures in the workplace?

• Adjusted working practices

• Carbon dioxide monitors

• Customer coronavirus (COVID-19) checks

• Hygiene measures

• Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

• Social distancing

• Temperature checks

• Other

• Not sure

• None of the above

Is your business providing regular coronavirus (COVID-19) testing for its workforce?

• Yes

• No

• Not sure

What percentage of your workforce are receiving regular coronavirus (COVID-19) testing?

• Approximate percentage of your workforce receiving regular testing

• Not sure

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

• Yes

• No

• Not sure

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

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

• Yes

• No

• Not sure

Approximately what percentage of your workforce do you expect to be made redundant over the next three months?

• Approximate percentage of redundancies in the next three months

• 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

• Had to pause trading entirely

• Had to pause trading of some of the business

• Had to recruit temporary workers

• Unable to meet demands

• Other

• Not sure

• My business has not been affected

How does your business's staff turnover for the last month, compare to normal expectations for this time of year?

• Staff turnover has increased by more than 50%

• Staff turnover has increased between 20% and 50%

• Staff turnover has increased by up to 20%

• Staff turnover has not been affected

• Staff turnover has decreased by up to 20%

• Staff turnover has decreased between 20% and 50%

• Staff turnover has decreased by more than 50%

• Not sure

• Not applicable

How does your business's ability to fill vacancies over the last month compare with normal expectations for this time of year?

• Vacancies were easier to fill

• No difference in the ability to fill vacancies

• Vacancies were more difficult to fill

• Did not have any vacancies to fill

• Not sure

Why did your business find filling vacancies more difficult, over the last month, compared with normal expectations for this of year?

• Business cannot offer an attractive pay package to applicants

• Increased number of vacancies due to furloughed workers leaving

• Increased number of vacancies for other reasons

• Lack of qualified applicants for the roles on offer

• Low number of applications for the roles on offer

• Reduced number of applicants aged 16 to 24 years

• Reduced number of EU applicants

• Other

• Not sure

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

• Comments