Business Insights and Conditions Survey questions: 18 August 2025 to 31 August 2025

These questions are for Wave 139 of the fortnightly Business Insights and Conditions Survey (BICS) dispatched on 18 August 2025

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

Is your business using, or intending to use, increased homeworking as a permanent business model going forward? 

• Yes 

• No  

• Not sure 

• Not applicable

Why is your business using, or intending to use, increased homeworking as a permanent business model going forward?  

• Ability to better match jobs to skills 

• Ability to recruit from a wider geographical pool in the UK 

• Ability to recruit from a wider geographical pool internationally 

• Improved staff wellbeing 

• Increased productivity 

• Reduced carbon emissions 

• Reduced overhead costs 

• Reduced sickness absence 

• Reduced wage bill 

• Other (Please describe)

• Not sure  

Why is your business not intending to use increased homeworking as a permanent business model going forward?  

• Concerns with integrating new starters into the workplace 

• Costs of employee equipment 

• Difficulties managing staff remotely 

• Negative impact on working culture 

• Not suitable for our business 

• Reduced communication 

• Reduced productivity 

• Reduced reliability and retention of staff 

• Security concerns 

• Other (Please describe)

• Not sure  

Which, if any, of the following skills has your business had a high demand for in the last 12 months? 

• Advanced digital skills 

• Basic digital skills 

• Customer service skills 

• Management or leadership skills 

• Manual skills 

• Transferable skills 

• Other (Please describe)

• None of the above 

Which, if any, of the following skills does your workforce require extra support or training in? 

• Advanced digital skills 

• Basic digital skills 

• Customer service skills 

• Management or leadership skills 

• Manual skills 

• Transferable skills 

• Other (Please describe)

• None of the above 

On average, how did employees' hourly wages in July 2025 compare with employees' hourly wages in the previous calendar month?  

• Wages increased 

• Wages stayed the same 

• Wages decreased 

• Not sure 

How have your business's staffing costs changed over the last three months? 

• Costs have increased 

• Costs have stayed the same 

• Costs have decreased 

• Not sure 

• Not applicable  

How does your business expect staffing costs to change over the next three months? 

• Costs will increase 

• Costs will stay the same 

• Costs will decrease 

• Not sure 

• Not applicable  

How does your business plan to adapt to any future increases in employment costs? 

• Absorb within profit margins 

• Increase prices 

• Limit overtime hours 

• Reduce employee benefits 

• Reduce number of employees 

• Reduce spending on investment 

• Reduce spending on training 

• Reduce wage increases for other employees 

• Other (Please describe)

• Not sure 

• Not applicable 

Which of the following challenges, if any, has your business experienced due to a shortage of workers? 

• Business had to pause trading entirely 

• Business had to recruit temporary workers 

• Employees increased working hours 

• Had to pause trading of some of the business 

• Unable to meet demands 

• Other (Please describe)

• Not sure 

• Business has not experienced any challenges due to a shortage of workers  

Which, if any, of the following employees has your business had difficulties recruiting in July 2025? 

• Clerical employees 

• Professional or managerial employees 

• Semi-skilled or unskilled employees 

• Skilled, manual or technical employees 

• Other (Please describe)

• Not sure 

• Business did not experience any difficulties in recruiting employees 

Why did your business experience difficulties recruiting employees in July 2025? 

• Business cannot offer an attractive pay package to applicants 

• Increased number of vacancies 

• Lack of qualified applicants for the roles on offer 

• Low number of applications for the roles on offer 

• Reduced number of applicants aged 16 to 24 years 

• Reduced number of applicants aged over 50 years 

• Reduced number of EU applicants 

• Other (Please describe)

• Not sure

Does your business have a probation policy in place for new employees? 

• Yes 

• No  

• Not sure  

How long is a typical probationary period for new employees at your business? 

• More than 12 months 

• 10 to 12 months 

• 7 to 9 months 

• 4 to 6 months 

• 3 months or less 

• Not sure 

Does your business currently have any employees on any of the following contracts?  

• Agency contract 

• Casual contract 

• Fixed term contract 

• Minimum hours contract 

• Seasonal contract 

• Variable hours contract 

• Zero hours contract 

• None of the above 

Approximately, what percentage of your business's workforce is employed under a variable hours contract? 

• More than 75% 

• Between 50% and 74% 

• Between 25% and 49% 

• Less than 25% 

• Not sure

In the last 12 months, approximately what percentage of your business's total annual expenses were fixed costs? 

• More than 75% 

• Between 50% and 74% 

• Between 25% and 49% 

• Less than 25% 

• Not sure 

In the last 12 months, has your business experienced any change in the volume of goods produced, or services provided? 

• Substantial increase 

• Moderate increase 

• No change 

• Moderate decrease 

• Substantial decrease 

• Not sure      

What effect, if any, has this change had on your business's average cost per unit? 

• A decrease in cost per unit 

• An increase in cost per unit 

• No effect on cost per unit 

• Not sure 

At what geographical level does your business primarily operate? 

• Local 

• Regional 

• National 

• International 

How many locations does your business currently operate from? 

• Single location 

• Multiple locations 

• Not sure 

In the last 12 months, how were prices for your business's goods or services set? 

• At individual locations 

• Only at headquarters 

• Both at individual locations and at headquarters 

• Other (Please specify)

• Not sure 

How do your business's prices vary across different locations? 

• Prices differ in each business location 

• Prices are mostly the same in the UK, but different abroad 

• Prices are mostly the same irrespective of the business locations 

• Not sure 

• Not applicable 

Does your business conduct any online sales? 

• Yes 

• No 

• Not sure 

Has your business developed any new or significantly improved goods or services in the last 12 months? 

• Yes, more than once 

• Yes, once 

• No 

• Not sure 

Has your business implemented any new or significantly improved production techniques in the last 12 months? 

• Yes, more than once 

• Yes, once 

• No 

• Not sure

In the last 12 months, how intense has competition been in your business's market? 

• Low  

• Moderate 

• Strong 

• Very strong 

• Not sure 

Approximately, how many other businesses currently offer similar goods or services to your business? 

• None 

• 1 to 2 

• 3 to 10 

• More than 10 

• Not sure 

For your business's main good or service, how many suppliers could provide the key input? 

• One potential supplier 

• Two to five potential suppliers 

• More than five potential suppliers 

• Not sure 

• Not applicable 

In the last 12 months, how important has maintaining low prices been to your business's ability to remain competitive? 

• Very important 

• Somewhat important 

• Not very important 

• Not at all important 

• Not sure 

Which of the following factors, if any, would make it difficult for startups to succeed in your industry? 

• Challenging competitive environment 

• High upfront financial investments 

• Lack of access to technology or expertise 

• Limited access to materials or distribution channels 

• Regulatory requirements 

• Other (Please specify)

• Not sure  

• None of the above 

To what extent can your business's goods or services be customised to meet individual needs?  

• No customisation at all 

• Small customisation 

• Strong customisation 

• Not sure 

Which of the following best describes the overall market positioning of your business's goods or services? 

• Mainly budget or low-cost 

• Mainly mid-range 

• Mainly premium 

• Not applicable 

• Not sure

Which of the following types of data analysis, if any, does your business use to support its operations? 

• Descriptive qualitative data analysis 

• Descriptive quantitative data analysis 

• Diagnostic data analysis 

• Traditional predictive data analysis 

• AI predictive data analysis 

• Other (Please specify)

• Not sure  

• No data analysis

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          

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

Was your business able to get the materials, goods or services it needed from the US in July 2025? 

• 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 US in the next 12 months? 

• Yes  

• No  

• Not sure  

What impact, if any, did the United States tariffs have on your business in the last month?  

• Business experienced additional costs  

• Business explored new export markets  

• Business passed additional costs to customers  

• Business stopped or paused exports to the United States  

• Increased competition   

• Increased demand  

• Reduced demand  

• Supply chain disruption  

• Other (please describe)  

• Not sure  

• No impact on the business  

What impact, if any, do you expect the United States tariffs to have on your business in the next month?  

• Business will absorb additional costs  

• Business will explore new export markets  

• Business will pass additional costs to customers  

• Business will stop or pause exports to the United States  

• Increased competition  

• Increased demand  

• Reduced demand  

• Supply chain disruption  

• Other (please describe)  

• Not sure  

• No impact expected for the business

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

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