Business Insights and Conditions Survey questions: 24 July to 6 August 2023

These questions are for Wave 88 of the fortnightly Business Insights and Conditions Survey (BICS) dispatched on 24 July 2023.

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

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 2025?

• Yes

• No

• Not sure

Is your business using, or intending to use, the UKCA marking by 1 January 2025?

• 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 2025

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

• Not sure

Why is your business not currently using the UKCA marking?

• Comments

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

• Not applicable

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

• Not applicable

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

• Yes

• No

• Not sure

• Not applicable

What was the main reason for global supply chain disruption?

• Conflict in Ukraine

• Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic

• Increased costs

• Shortage of hauliers and carriers

• Shortage of materials

• UK exiting the EU

• Other transportation issues

• 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 June 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 June 2023:

• Comments

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

• Yes

• No

• Not sure

In June 2023, 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 June 2023:

• Comments

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 overheads

• Reduced sickness absence

• Reduce 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

Is your business intending to permanently close any business sites in the next three months?

• Yes

• No

• Not sure

• Not applicable

Where in the UK are the sites that will permanently close in the next three months?

• 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

How do you expect closing these sites to affect your workforce?

• Decreased hours

• Increased hours

• Move to remove working

• Permanent redundancies

• Relocation

• Other (Please describe)

• Not sure

• Workforce will not be affected

For which, if any, of the following effects of climate change has your business assessed risks?

• Coastal erosion

• Increased flooding

• Supply chain disruption and distribution

• Temperature increases

• Water scarcity

• Not sure

• None of the above

Which, if any, of the following effects of climate change has your business taken action to adapt to?

• Coastal erosion

• Increased flooding

• Supply chain disruption and distribution

• Temperature increases

• Water scarcity

• Not sure

• None of the above

Which, if any, of the following reasons have prevented your business from taking action against any of these climate change effects?

• Business has been unable to take action due to costs

• Business has been unable to take action due to lack of information or guidance

• Business does not expect to be impacted by these effects

• Other (Please describe)

• Not sure

• Business has not been prevented from taking action

Was your business affected by industrial action in June 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 June 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

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