1. Survey information
These questions are for Wave 125 of the fortnightly Business Insights and Conditions Survey (BICS) dispatched on 20 January 2025. These are the most up-to-date survey questions.
Back to table of contents2. Trading status of your business
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
3. Exporting
Has your business exported goods or services in the last 12 months?
Exported goods only
Exported services only
Exported both goods and services
Business has not exported goods or services in the last 12 months
Not sure
Where has your business exported goods or services to in the last three months?
EU only
Non-EU only
Both EU and non-EU
Not exported in the last three months
Not sure
Has your business had any extra costs directly related to changes in export regulations due to the end of the EU transition period?
Costs increased but are now stable
Costs increased and are still increasing
Costs were stable but are now increasing
No cost increases experienced at any point
Not sure
How did your business's exporting in December 2024 compare with the same 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 December 2024 compare with the same calendar month last year?
Cost increased
Cost stayed the same
Cost decreased
Not sure
How did the time spent on exporting in December 2024 compare with the same calendar month last year?
Time spent increased
Time spent stayed the same
Time spent decreased
Not sure
Which of the following support options has your business benefitted from, to help with exporting challenges?
Customs and tariffs
Export licences
Financial support
Finding new markets
Finding new overseas contacts or customers
Information on exporting
Legal support
Transport and distribution
Understanding markets and demand issues
Other (Please describe)
None of the above
Does your business currently meet the rules of origin to access preferential tariffs on exports?
All exports meet the rules of origin to access preferential tariffs
Some exports meet the rules of origin to access preferential tariffs
Exports do not meet the rules of origin to access preferential tariffs
Not sure
Not applicable
Why does your business not currently meet the rules of origin to access preferential tariffs on exports?
Exports cannot meet rules of origin requirements
Administrative costs of rules of origin are too high or burdensome
Lack of knowledge
Lack of understanding, staffing or expertise
Other (Please describe)
Not sure
Not applicable
4. Importing
Has your business imported goods or services in the last 12 months?
Imported goods only
Imported services only
Imported both goods and services
Business has not imported goods or services in the last 12 months
Not sure
Where has your business imported goods or services from in the last three months?
EU only
Non-EU only
Both EU and non-EU
Not imported in the last three months
Not sure
Has your business had any extra costs directly related to changes in import regulations due to the end of the EU transition period?
Costs increased but are now stable
Costs increased and are still increasing
Costs were stable but are now increasing
No cost increases experienced at any point
Not sure
How did your business's importing in December 2024 compare with the same 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 December 2024 compare with the same calendar month last year?
Cost increased
Cost stayed the same
Cost decreased
Not sure
How did the time spent on importing in December 2024 compare with the same calendar month last year?
Time spent increased
Time spent stayed the same
Time spent decreased
Not sure
Which of the following support options would your business benefit from, to help with importing challenges?
Customs and tariffs
Finding new alternative supply chains
Finding new overseas contacts or customers
Import licences
Information on importing
Legal support
Transport and distribution
Understanding markets and demand issues
Other (Please describe)
None of the above
5. UK Conformity Assessed (UKCA) marking
Does your business manufacture, import or distribute products for the GB market that use a CE or UKCA marking?
Yes, the business manufactures products that need a CE or UKCA marking
Yes, the business imports products that need a CE or UKCA marking
Yes, the business distributes products that need a CE or UKCA marking
Not sure
No, the business does not manufacture, import or distribute products that need a CE or UKCA marking
Approximately, what proportion of the products your business manufactures, imports or distributes for the GB market currently use the UKCA marking instead of, or in addition to, the CE marking?
Business is using UKCA marking for all products
Business is using UKCA marking for a majority of products, but not all
Business is using UKCA marking for a minority of products
Business is not using UKCA marking
Not sure
Approximately, what proportion of the products that your business intends to manufacture, import or distribute for the GB market in or after October 2025 will use the UKCA marking instead of, or in addition to, the CE marking?
Business intends to use UKCA marking for all products in this calendar month next year
Business intends to use UKCA marking for a majority of products, but not all, in this calendar month next year
Business intends to use UKCA marking for a minority of products in this calendar month next year
Business does not intend to use UKCA marking in this calendar month next year
Not sure
6. Domestic trade
In the last 12 months, has your business purchased goods or services from suppliers in other UK nations?
Yes
No
Not sure
In the last 12 months, which of the following goods or services has your business purchased from suppliers in other UK nations?
Casual labour
Financial services
Finished goods
Professional services
Semi-finished or intermediate goods
Raw materials
Other (Please describe)
Not sure
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 December 2024, 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 December 2024
- Comments
Has your business sent goods from Northern Ireland to GB in the last 12 months?
Yes
No
Not sure
In December 2024, 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 December 2024
- Comments
7. International trade
Was your business able to get the materials, goods or services it needed from the EU in December 2024?
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
Does your business intend to open any new branches or subsidiaries in the EU in the next 12 months?
Yes
No
Not sure
Does your business plan to import or export goods to or from UK Freeports in the next 12 months?
Yes
No
Not sure
Why is your business not planning to import or export goods from UK Freeports within the next 12 months?
Application process is burdensome
Application is unlikely to be processed in time
Application was rejected by HM Revenue and Customs
Business does not import or export goods to or from the UK
Business is already utilising existing customs procedures
Business is not located in a designated freeport area
Other
Not sure
8. Workforce
Has your business gone through a collective redundancy consultation in the last 12 months?
Yes
No
Not sure
Not applicable
Approximately, how many redundancies did your business make following this collective redundancy consultation process?
More than 120
Between 100 and 119
Between 60 and 99
Between 20 and 59
Between 1 and 19
Not sure
Approximately, how many redundancies was your business considering before the collective redundancy consultation process?
More than 120
Between 100 and 119
Between 60 and 99
Between 20 and 59
Between 1 and 19
Not sure
9. Comments
Please tell us anything else about your business's current situation relating to topics covered in this survey
- Comments
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