Survey Information

Businesses sampled for the Business enterprise research and development (BERD) survey receive either a short or long form depending on the size of the business and how much research and development (R&D) they perform. The 2023 BERD survey short form and long form questions are listed on this page.   

BERD 2023 survey - short form questions  

1. Reporting period  

Are you able to report for the calendar year? 

What dates will you be reporting for? 

Did your business undertake any in-house R&D? 

Will your business be carrying out any in-house R&D in the future? 

2. In-house R&D  

What was your business's total in-house expenditure on: 

  • civil R&D 

  • defence R&D 

In relation to total expenditure on in-house R&D, has your business submitted, or does it intend to submit, a claim for R&D tax credits? 

3. Purchased R&D  

Did your business purchase any R&D conducted outside the business? 

How much R&D conducted outside the business did your business purchase in relation to: 

  • civil R&D 

  • defence R&D 

In relation to total expenditure on purchased R&D, has your business submitted, or does it intend to submit, a claim for R&D tax credits? 

4. Number of Employees  

How many employees worked on R&D? 

How many full-time equivalent employees worked on: 

  • civil R&D 

  • defence R&D 

BERD 2023 survey - long form questions  

1. Reporting period   

Are you able to report for the calendar year? 

What dates will you be reporting for? 

Did your business undertake any in-house R&D? 

Will your business be carrying out any in-house R&D in the future? 

2. In-house R&D 

Which types (product codes) of in-house R&D has your business carried out? 

3. In-house R&D - Civil or defence  

Which of the following types of R&D were carried out by your business in relation to each product code: 

  • civil 

  • defence 

  • both (civil and defence)  

4. Civil Non-Capital Expenditure 

For civil R&D, what was your business's non-capital expenditure on: 

  • salaries and wages 

  • materials, supplies and equipment 

  • services 

How much of the total non-capital expenditure for civil R&D related to: 

  • basic research 

  • applied research 

  • experimental development 

5. Civil Capital Expenditure  

For civil R&D, what was your business's gross capital expenditure on: 

  • land acquired 

  • buildings acquired or constructed 

  • equipment and machinery 

Of the expenditure on equipment and machinery, how much was spent on computer software for R&D? 

6. Civil Total Expenditure   

In relation to total expenditure for civil R&D, has your business submitted, or does it intend to submit, a claim for R&D tax credits? 

7. Funding for Civil Expenditure 

Of the total expenditure for civil R&D: 

How much was funded by the following UK sources:

  • own funds from within the UK 

  • the UK Government 

  • other UK business enterprises 

  • UK non-profit organisations 

  • UK higher education establishments 

How much was funded by the following sources outside the UK: 

  • business enterprises within your group  

  • other business enterprises  

  • other Governments  

  • higher education establishments  

  • non-profit organisations  

  • international organisations 

  • any other organisations  

How much of your business's R&D assets are, or will be, owned by the following:

  • your UK business 

  • the UK Government 

  • other UK business enterprises 

  • other UK organisations 

  • any other businesses or organisations outside the UK 

  • not owned and freely available in-house R&D 

8. Defence Non-Capital Expenditure 

For defence R&D, what was your business's non-capital expenditure on: 

  • salaries and wages 

  • materials, supplies and equipment  

  • services 

How much of the total non-capital expenditure for defence R&D related to: 

  • basic research 

  • applied research 

  • experimental development 

9. Defence Capital Expenditure  

For defence R&D, what was your business's gross capital expenditure on: 

  • land acquired 

  • buildings acquired or constructed 

  • equipment and machinery 

Of the expenditure on equipment and machinery, how much was spent on computer software for R&D? 

10. Defence Total Expenditure  

In relation to expenditure for defence R&D, has your business submitted, or does it intend to submit, a claim for R&D tax credits? 

11. Funding for Defence Expenditure 

Of the total expenditure for in-house defence R&D: 

How much was funded by the following UK sources:

  • own funds from within the UK 

  • the UK Government 

  • other UK business enterprises 

  • UK non-profit organisations 

  • UK higher education establishments 

How much was funded by the following sources outside the UK:

  • business enterprises within your group outside the UK 

  • other business enterprises outside the UK 

  • other Governments outside the UK 

  • higher education establishments outside the UK 

  • non-profit organisations outside the UK 

  • international organisations 

  • any other organisations outside the UK 

How much of your business's R&D assets are, or will be, owned by the following:

  • your UK business 

  • the UK Government 

  • other UK business enterprises 

  • other UK organisations 

  • any other businesses or organisations outside the UK 

  • not owned and freely available in-house R&D 

12. Purchase of R&D conducted outside the business 

Did your business purchase any R&D conducted outside the business? 

Which types of R&D (product codes) has your business purchased that was conducted outside the business? 

Which types of R&D were purchased by your business in relation to the product codes:

  • civil  

  • defence  

  • both (civil and defence)  

13. Purchase of Civil R&D 

How much did your business spend on civil R&D work: 

  • commissioned within the UK 

  • carried out outside the UK (originally funded by the UK Government) 

  • carried out outside the UK (not originally funded by the UK Government) 

In relation to these values, has your business submitted, or does it intend to submit, a claim for R&D tax credits? 

14. Purchase of Defence R&D 

How much did your business spend on defence R&D work: 

  • commissioned within the UK 

  • carried out outside the UK (originally funded by the UK Government) 

  • carried out outside the UK (not originally funded by the UK Government) 

In relation to these values, has your business submitted, or does it intend to submit, a claim for R&D tax credits? 

15. Number of employees working on R&D - Headcount  

How many employees working on R&D were: 

  • male researchers 

  • female researchers 

How many employees working on R&D were: 

  • male technicians 

  • female technicians 

How many employees working on R&D were: 

  • male employees in other roles 

  • female employees in other roles 

16. Full Time Equivalent (FTE) Employees 

How many full-time equivalent employees working on R&D were researchers working on: 

  • civil R&D 

  • defence R&D 

How many full-time equivalent employees working on R&D were technicians working on: 

  • civil R&D 

  • defence R&D 

How many full-time equivalent employees working on R&D were in other roles working on: 

  • civil R&D 

  • defence R&D 

17. Workplace information  

What are the postcodes of the workplaces where in-house R&D is performed? 

What percentage of your business's total R&D is carried out at each workplace?