1. Survey information

These questions are for Wave 96 of the fortnightly Business Insights and Conditions Survey (BICS) dispatched on 13 November 2023.

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2. 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 

Where in the UK are your sites temporarily or permanently closed, if any? 

  • 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 

  • Do not have any sites 

  • None of our sites are temporarily or permanently closed

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3. Exporting

Which of the following statements best describes your business's exporting status? 

  • Exported in the last 12 months 

  • Exported more than 12 months ago 

  • Never exported but have goods or services that could be developed for export 

  • Never exported and do not have goods or services suitable for export 

  • Not sure 

Has your business exported goods or services in the last 12 months? 

  • Exported goods only 

  • Exported services only 

  • Exported both goods and services 

  • Not sure 

Have you changed where you have exported your goods or services to in the last three months? 

  • Changed from EU to non-EU 

  • Changed from non-EU to EU 

  • Changed in a different way (Please describe) 

  • Not sure 

  • No changes made 

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  

How did your business's exporting in October 2023 compare with this calendar month last year? 

  • Exported more 

  • Exporting stayed the same 

  • Exported less 

  • Business was unable to export 

  • Not sure 

Did your business experience an increase in any of the following exporting challenges in October 2023, compared with the previous calendar month? 

  • Additional paperwork 

  • Change in exchange rates 

  • Change in transportation costs 

  • Customs duties or levies 

  • Destination countries changing their border restrictions 

  • Disruption at UK borders 

  • Finding information on how to export 

  • Lack of hauliers to transport goods or lack of logistics equipment 

  • Reduced demand for products and services 

  • Time taken for checks at the border 

  • Work permit or visa restrictions, or lack of mutual recognition of professional qualifications 

  • Other (Please describe) 

  • Did not experience an increase in any exporting challenges 

What was the main cause of these exporting challenges? 

  • Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic 

  • End of the EU transition period 

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

  • Other (Please describe) 

  • Not sure 

How much disruption to your business have these challenges caused? 

  • Major disruption 

  • Moderate disruption 

  • Minor disruption 

  • No disruption 

  • 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

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4. Importing

Which of the following statements best describes your business's importing status? 

  • Imported in the last 12 months 

  • Imported more than 12 months ago 

  • Never imported  

  • Not sure 

Has your business imported goods or services in the last 12 months? 

  • Imported goods only 

  • Imported services only 

  • Imported both goods and services 

  • Not sure 

Have you changed where you have sourced your imports of goods or services from in the last three months? 

  • Changed from EU to non-EU suppliers 

  • Changed from non-EU to EU suppliers 

  • Changed in a different way (Please describe) 

  • Not sure 

  • No changes made  

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  

How did your business's importing in October 2023 compare with this calendar month last year? 

  • Imported more 

  • Importing stayed the same 

  • Imported less 

  • Business was unable to import 

  • Not sure 

Did your business experience an increase in any of the following importing challenges in October 2023, compared with the previous calendar month? 

  • Additional paperwork 

  • Change in exchange rates 

  • Change in transportation costs 

  • Customs duties or levies 

  • Disruption at UK borders 

  • Finding information on how to import 

  • Lack of hauliers to transport goods or lack of logistics equipment 

  • Suppliers not customs ready 

  • Time taken for checks at the border 

  • Other (Please describe) 

  • Did not experience an increase in any importing challenges 

What was the main cause of these importing challenges? 

  • Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic 

  • End of the EU transition period 

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

  • Other (Please describe) 

  • Not sure 

How much disruption to your business have these challenges caused? 

  • Major disruption 

  • Moderate disruption 

  • Minor disruption 

  • No disruption 

  • 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

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5. UK Conformity Assessed (UKCA) marking

Does your business manufacture, import, or distribute products that require either a CE marking or a 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 

To what extent is your business currently using UKCA marking for its products that require either a CE or a UKCA marking? 

  • Not using UKCA marking 

  • Using UKCA marking for a minority of products 

  • Using UKCA marking for a majority of products, but not all 

  • Using UKCA marking for all products 

  • Not sure 

To what extent is your business planning to use UKCA marking in November 2024 for its products that require either a CE or UKCA marking? 

  • Do not plan to use UKCA marking in this calendar month next year 

  • Plan to use UKCA marking for a minority of products in this calendar month next year 

  • Plan to use UKCA marking for a majority of products, but not all, in this calendar month next year 

  • Plan to use UKCA marking for all products in this calendar month next year 

  • Not sure

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6. Supply chains

Has your business had any extra costs due to the end of the EU transition period? 

  • Additional transportation costs 

  • Cost 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 (Please describe) 

  • Not sure 

  • No extra costs 

Does your business intend to open any new branches or subsidiaries in the EU in the next 12 months? 

  • Yes  

  • No  

  • Not sure 

Was your business able to get the materials, goods or services it needed from within the UK in October 2023? 

  • 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 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 

Did your business experience any global supply chain disruption in October 2023? 

  • Yes 

  • No 

  • Not sure 

  • Not applicable

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7. Sending goods

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

  • Yes 

  • No 

  • Not sure  

In October 2023, 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 October 2023: 

  • Comments
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9. Sending goods

On average, how did employees' hourly wages in October 2023 compare with employees' hourly wages in the previous calendar month? 

  • Wages increased 

  • Wages stayed the same 

  • Wages decreased 

  • 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 

  • Business had to pause trading entirely 

  • Had to pause trading of some of the business 

  • Business had to recruit temporary workers 

  • Unable to meet demands 

  • Other (Please describe) 

  • Not sure 

  • Business has not been affected

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10. Industrial action

Was your business affected by industrial action in October 2023? 

  • Yes, the business was affected 

  • No, the business was not affected 

  • Not sure 

  • Not applicable 

  • Prefer not to say 

How was your business affected by industrial action in October 2023? 

  • Business was unable to obtain necessary goods 

  • Business was unable to obtain necessary services 

  • Business was unable to operate fully 

  • Part or all of the workforce were directly involved in industrial action 

  • Workforce had to change their working location 

  • Workforce were unable to perform their roles 

  • Other (Please describe) 

  • Not sure

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11. Comments

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

  • Comments
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Manylion cyswllt ar gyfer y Erthygl

Gemma Rabaiotti
bics@ons.gov.uk
Ffôn: +44 1633 455 592