Business Insights and Conditions Survey questions: 17 October to 30 October 2022

These questions are for Wave 68 of the fortnightly Business Insights and Conditions Survey (BICS) dispatched on the 17th of October 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

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

• 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 September 2022 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 September 2022, 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

• 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

• 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

• None of the above

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

• 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 September 2022 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 September 2022, 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

• 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

• 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

• None of the above

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

Is your business aware that most CE marked products need to be UKCA marked from 1 January 2023?

• Yes

• No

• Not sure

Is your business using, or intending to use, the UKCA marking by 1 January 2023?

• Already using UKCA marking

• Not aware of, or do not know how to meet, requirements for the UKCA

• Not using the UKCA marking, but plan to by 1 January 2023

• Will not use UKCA marking, as not relevant to our products or business

• Not sure

Was your business able to get the materials, goods or services it needed from within the UK in September 2022?

• 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

Did your business experience any global supply chain disruption in September 2022?

• Yes

• No

• Not sure

• Not applicable

Which of the following, if any, will be the main concern for your business in November 2022?

• Business rates

• Competition

• Energy prices

• Exchange rates

• Inflation of goods and services prices

• Interest rates

• Supply chain disruption

• Taxation

• Other

• Not sure

• No concerns for the business

What actions, if any, has your business taken to reduce energy costs in the last three months?

• Changed to more energy-efficient electrical equipment

• Reduced or simplified goods or services

• Reduced the number of days the business trades in a week by one day

• Reduced the number of days the business trades in a week by two or more days

• Reduced the number of hours the business trades in a week, but the number of days the business trades in a week remained as usual

• Switched electrical equipment to standby or off more than usual when not in use

• Switched energy suppliers

• Temporarily closed a business site

• Undertaken an energy audit

• Other

• Not sure

• Business has not taken action to reduce energy consumption

What actions, if any, does your business plan to take to reduce your energy costs in November 2022?

• Change to more energy-efficient electrical equipment

• Reduce or simplify goods or services

• Reduce the number of days the business trades in a week by one day

• Reduce the number of days the business trades in a week by two or more days

• Reduce the number of hours the business trades in a week, but the number of days the business trades in a week remain as usual

• Switch electrical equipment to standby or off more than usual when not in use

• Switch energy suppliers

• Temporarily close a business site

• Undertake an energy audit

• Other

• Not sure

• Business does not plan to reduce energy consumption

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

• 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 September 2022, 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 September 2022

• Comments

On average, how did employees hourly wages in September 2022 compare with employees hourly wages in the previous calendar month?

• Wages increased

• Wages stayed the same

• Wages decreased

• Not sure

Was your business affected by industrial action in September 2022?

• 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 September 2022?

• 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

• Not sure

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

• Comments