Business Insights and Conditions Survey questions: 15 April 2024 to 28 April 2024

These questions are for Wave 107 of the fortnightly Business Insights and Conditions Survey (BICS) dispatched on 15 April 2024.

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

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 March 2024 compare with this 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 March 2024 compare with this calendar month last year?

• Cost increased

• Cost stayed the same

• Cost decreased

• Not sure

How did the time spent on exporting in March 2024 compare with this 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

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 March 2024 compare with this 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 March 2024 compare with this calendar month last year?

• Cost increased

• Cost stayed the same

• Cost decreased

• Not sure

How did the time spent on importing in March 2024 compare with this 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

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 April 2025 for its products that require either a CE or a 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

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 March 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 March 2024

• Comments

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

• Yes

• No

• Not sure

In March 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 March 2024

• Comments

Was your business able to get the materials, goods or services it needed from the EU in March 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

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

• Comments