Business Insights and Conditions Survey questions: 13 June 2022 to 26 June 2022

These questions are for Wave 59 of the fortnightly Business Insights and Conditions Survey (BICS) dispatched on the 13th of June 2022. 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

How did your business’s turnover in May 2022 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 July 2022?

• 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 May 2022 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 May 2022 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 July 2022?

• 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 July 2022?

• Energy prices

• Finance costs

• Labour costs

• Raw material prices

• Other

• Not sure

• Business is not considering raising prices

How did your business's domestic demand for goods and services in May 2022 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 May 2022 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

• Not sure

• The business has not been affected by price rises

How did your business's stock levels of raw materials in May 2022 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 May 2022 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

In May 2022, 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

How did the number of employees at your business in May 2022 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 July 2022?

• 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 May 2022?

• Yes

• No

• Not sure

• Not applicable

How has the number of workers from within the EU at your business in May 2022 changed compared with this calendar month last year?

• Number of workers from within the EU has increased

• We employ 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 May 2022 changed compared with this calendar month last year?

• Number of workers from outside the EU has increased

• We employ 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

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

• 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

• Has a nature or biodiversity strategy

• Has a nature or biodiversity target

• Monitors climate-related risks

• Publishes an annual sustainability report

• Other

• 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

• Going paperless

• 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

• Not sure

• No actions have been taken to reduce emissions

Have any of the following been used to assess the impact of climate change on your business's ability to operate?

• Assessment of demand for goods or services

• Assessment of finance, investments or insurance

• Excessive heat risk assessment

• Flooding risk assessment

• Resource efficiency assessment

• Technological assessment

• Water scarcity risk assessment

• Other

• Not sure

• Have not conduced any assessments

How would you describe your business's overall performance in May 2022, 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