Business Insights and Conditions Survey questions: 7 to 20 August 2023

These questions are for Wave 89 of the fortnightly Business Insights and Conditions Survey (BICS) dispatched on 7 August 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

How did your business's turnover in July 2023 compare with the previous calendar month? 

• Turnover increased        

• Turnover stayed the same           

• Turnover decreased      

• Not sure

What are your business's expectations for turnover in September 2023?

• Expect turnover to increase        

• Expect turnover to stay the same             

• Expect turnover to decrease      

• Not sure

How did the prices of goods or services bought by your business in July 2023 compare with the previous calendar month?

• Prices increased

• Prices stayed the same

• Prices decreased

• Not sure

• Not applicable

How did the prices of goods or services sold by your business in July 2023 compare with the previous calendar month?

• Prices increased

• Prices stayed the same

• Prices decreased

• Not sure

• Not applicable

What are your business's expectations for the prices of goods or services sold in September 2023?

• Prices will increase

• Prices will stay the same

• Prices will decrease

• Not sure

• Not applicable

Which of the following factors, if any, are causing your business to consider raising prices in September 2023?

• Energy prices

• Finance costs

• Labour costs

• Raw material prices

• Other (Please describe)

• Not sure

• Business is not considering raising prices

How did your business's domestic demand for goods and services in July 2023 compare with the previous calendar month?

• Demand increased

• Demand stayed the same

• Demand decreased

• Not sure

• Not applicable

How did your business's international demand for goods and services in July 2023 compare with the previous calendar month?

• Demand increased

• Demand stayed the same

• Demand decreased

• Not sure

• Not applicable

Has your business been affected by recent increases in energy prices?

• Yes, production has been affected

• Yes, suppliers have been affected

• Yes, both production and suppliers have been affected 

• No, the business has not been affected 

• Not sure              

• Not applicable

In which of the following ways, if any, has your business been affected by price rises?

• Discontinued lines of sale            

• Had to absorb costs       

• Had to access more financial support     

• Had to change suppliers

• Had to make redundancies         

• Had to pass on price increases to customers       

• Had to reduce staff work hours 

• Unable to maintain workspaces

• Other (Please describe)

• Not sure

• Business has not been affected by price rises

How did your business's stock levels of raw materials in July 2023 compare with the previous calendar month?

• Stock levels were higher              

• Stock levels stayed the same      

• Stock levels were lower

• Not sure              

• Not applicable

How did your business's stock levels of finished goods in July 2023 compare with the previous calendar month?

• Stock levels were higher              

• Stock levels stayed the same      

• Stock levels were lower

• Not sure              

• Not applicable

Is your business stockpiling any goods or materials?

• Yes

• No

• Not sure

Where is your business sourcing these stockpiled goods or materials from?

• UK suppliers

• EU suppliers

• Non-EU suppliers

• Not sure

Which of the following goods or materials is your business stockpiling?

• Agricultural products

• Chemicals

• Coal, gas or oil

• Food and beverages

• Manufacturing parts

• Materials

• Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

• Pharmaceuticals

• Other consumer goods 

• Other (Please describe)

• Not sure

Where are the stockpiled goods or materials being stored?

• UK

• EU countries

• Non-EU countries

• Not sure

In July 2023, approximately what percentage of your business's workforce were:

• Working from a designated workspace

• Working from home

• Using a hybrid model of working              

• Not working due to sickness       

• Made permanently redundant  

• Other

How did the number of employees at your business in July 2023 compare with the previous calendar month?

• Number of employees increased             

• Number of employees stayed the same

• Number of employees decreased            

• Not sure

What are your business's expectations for the number of employees in September 2023?

• Number of employees will increase         

• Number of employees will stay the same              

• Number of employees will decrease       

• Not sure

Did your business experience any difficulties recruiting employees in July 2023?

• Yes

• No

• Not sure

• Not applicable

How has the number of workers from within the EU at your business in July 2023 changed compared with this calendar month last year?

• Number of workers from within the EU has increased     

• The business employs workers from within the EU, and the number has stayed the same

• Number of workers from within the EU has decreased   

• Not relevant, as have not employed workers from within the EU

• Not sure              

• Prefer not to say

How has the number of workers from outside the EU at your business in July 2023 changed compared with this calendar month last year?

• Number of workers from outside the EU has increased  

• The business employs workers from outside the EU, and the number has stayed the same             

• Number of workers from outside the EU has decreased

• Not relevant, as have not employed workers from outside the EU             

• Not sure              

• Prefer not to say

Is your business concerned about the impact climate change may have on the business?

• Yes, very concerned       

• Yes, somewhat concerned          

• No, not concerned         

• Not sure

Which of the following actions, if any, has your business taken to protect the environment?

• Publishes an annual sustainability report              

• Has a climate change strategy

• Has a net zero or greenhouse gas emissions target           

• Has a net zero or greenhouse gas emissions target which includes supply chain

• Monitors climate-related risks   

• Has a nature or biodiversity strategy      

• Has a nature or biodiversity target           

• Has a nature or biodiversity target which includes supply chain   

• Monitors nature or biodiversity-related risks      

• Other (Please describe)

• Not sure              

• None of the above

Which of the following actions, if any, have you taken to reduce your business's carbon emissions?

• Adjusting heating and cooling systems

• Electrifying your vehicle fleet

• Installing a smart meter

• Installing charging points             

• Installing your own renewable electricity or heating        

• Insulating your buildings              

• Introducing a cycle to work scheme

• Switching to LED bulbs  

• Other (Please describe)

• Not sure              

• No actions have been taken to reduce emissions

In July 2023, how did your business's debt repayments compare with turnover?

• Repayments were more than 100% of turnover

• Repayments were between 50% and 100% of turnover  

• Repayments were between 20% and 50% of turnover    

• Repayments were up to 20% of turnover              

• Not sure              

• Not applicable

How much confidence does your business have that it will meet its current debt obligations?

• High confidence              

• Moderate confidence   

• Low confidence

• No confidence 

• Not sure              

• Do not have any debt obligations

What is your business's risk of insolvency?

• Severe risk         

• Moderate risk   

• Low risk               

• No risk 

• Not sure              

• The business is insolvent

How would you describe your business's overall performance in July 2023, compared with this calendar month last year?

• Performance increased

• Performance stayed the same   

• Performance decreased

• Not sure

How do you expect your business's overall performance to change over the next 12 months?

• Performance will increase           

• Performance will stay the same

• Performance will decrease         

• Not sure

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

• Comments