1. Survey information
These questions are for Wave 23 of the fortnightly Business Impact of Coronavirus (COVID-19) Survey (BICS) dispatched on the 25 January 2021.
Nôl i'r tabl cynnwys2. Trading status of your business
Which of the following statements best describes your business's trading status?
- Currently trading and has been for more than the last two weeks
- Started trading within the last two weeks after a pause in 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 business's sites located?
- 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
- Not applicable
Where in the UK are your sites temporarily or permanently closed?
- 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
- None of our sites are temporarily or permanently closed
3. Turnover and profits
In the last two weeks, how has the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic affected your business's turnover, compared with normal expectations for this time of year?
- Turnover has increased by more than 50%
- Turnover has increased between 20% and 50%
- Turnover has increased by up to 20%
- Turnover has not been affected
- Turnover has decreased by up to 20%
- Turnover has decreased between 20% and 50%
- Turnover has decreased by more than 50%
- Not sure
Please explain in more detail how the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic affected turnover in the last two weeks.
What are your expectations about turnover in the next two weeks?
- Expect turnover to substantially increase
- Expect turnover to increase a little
- Expect turnover to stay the same
- Expect turnover to decrease a little
- Expect turnover to substantially decrease
- Not sure
In the last two weeks, how has the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic affected your business's profits, compared with normal expectations for this time of year?
- Profits have increased by more than 50%
- Profits have increased by between 20% and 50%
- Profits have increased by up to 20%
- Profits have stayed the same
- Profits have decreased by up to 20%
- Profits have decreased by between 20% and 50%
- Profits have decreased by more than 50%
- Not sure
- Not applicable
4. Exporting
Has your business exported goods or services in the last 12 months?
- Yes
- No
- Not sure
Which of the following best describes your business's exporting status?
- Exported more than 12 months ago
- Never exported and do not have goods or services suitable for export
- Never exported but have goods or services that could be developed for export
- Not sure
Where has your business exported goods or services to in the last two weeks?
- EU only
- Non-EU only
- Both EU and non-EU
- Never exported in the last two weeks
- Not sure
How does your business's exporting in the last two weeks compare with normal expectations for this time of year?
- Exporting more than normal
- Exporting as normal
- Exporting, but less than normal
- Not been able to export in the last two weeks
- Not sure
Have you experienced any of the following challenges with exporting over the last two weeks?
- Change in transportation costs
- Closure of infrastructure used to export goods or services
- Customs duties or levies
- Destination countries changing their border restrictions
- Disruption at UK borders
- Lack of hauliers to transport goods
- Lack of logistics equipment
- Reduced demand for products and services
- Other
- Did not experience any challenges with exporting
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?
- Severe disruption
- Moderate disruption
- Low disruption
- No disruption
- Not sure
Which of the following support options would your business benefit from, to help with exporting challenges?
- Financial support
- Understanding markets and demand issues
- Finding new markets
- Finding new overseas contacts or customers
- Transport and distribution
- Legal issues
- Customs and tariffs
- Export licences
- Other
- None of the above
Let us know anything else that will help us understand your business's exporting in the last two weeks.
What are your expectations about your business's sales from exports in the next 12 months?
- Export sales will substantially increase
- Export sales will increase a little
- Export sales will stay the same
- Export sales will decrease a little
- Export sales will substantially decrease
- Not sure
5. Importing
Has your business imported goods or services in the last 12 months?
- Yes
- No
- Not sure
Did your business import goods or services more than 12 months ago?
- Yes
- No
- Not sure
Where has your business imported goods or services from in the last two weeks?
- EU only
- Non-EU only
- Both EU and non-EU
- Not imported in the last two weeks
- Not sure
Have you changed where you have sourced your imports of goods or services from in the last two weeks?
- Changed from EU to non-EU suppliers
- Changed from non-EU to EU suppliers
- Changed in a different way
- No changes made
- Not sure
How does your business's importing in the last two weeks compare with normal expectations for this time of year?
- Importing more than normal
- Importing as normal
- Importing, but less than normal
- Not been able to import in the last two weeks
- Not sure
Have you experienced any of the following challenges with importing over the last two weeks?
- Accessing Government-secured freight capacity
- Change in transportation costs
- Closure of infrastructure used to import goods or services
- Customs duties or levies
- Disruption at UK borders
- Lack of hauliers to transport goods
- Lack of logistics equipment
- Suppliers not continuing to trade
- Suppliers not customs ready
- Other
- Did not experience any challenges with importing
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?
- Severe disruption
- Moderate disruption
- Low disruption
- No disruption
- Not sure
Which of the following support options would your business benefit from, to help with importing challenges?
- Understanding markets and demand issues
- Finding new alternative supply chains
- Finding new overseas contacts or customers
- Transport and distribution
- Legal issues
- Customs and tariffs
- Import licences
- Other
- None of the above
Let us know anything else that will help us understand your business's importing in the last two weeks.
Nôl i'r tabl cynnwys6. Supply chain
Has your business made changes to supply chains due to the end of the EU transition period?
Yes
No
Not sure
Not applicable
In which of the following ways has your business changed supply chains due to the end of the EU transition period?
Using more UK suppliers
Using more EU suppliers
Using more non-EU suppliers
Moving the supply chain away from the short straits crossings
Increasing the diversity in suppliers
Expanding to different modes of freight
Other
Not sure
Was your business able to get the materials, goods or services it needed from within the UK in the last two weeks?
Yes, the business has been able to get what it needed
Yes, but the business had to change suppliers or find alternative solutions
No, the business has not been able to get the materials, goods or services needed
Not applicable
Please explain why your business was not able to get the materials, goods or services needed
In the last two weeks, did your business use logistics services to distribute goods or services produced, within the UK?
Yes
No, because we could not obtain the UK logistics services we needed
No, because we did not need UK logistics services
Not sure
Did the logistics services used in the last two weeks meet your business's UK distribution demands?
All distribution demands were met
Some distribution demands were met
Not sure
To what extent do you expect that your business's UK distribution demands will be met by logistics services in the next two weeks?
All UK distribution demands will be met
Some UK distribution demands will be met
None of the UK distribution demands will be met
The business will not need any UK distribution
Not sure
7. Sending goods from Great Britain to Northern Ireland
Has your business sent goods from Great Britain to Northern Ireland in the last 12 months?
- Yes
- No
- Not sure
What route did your business mainly use over the last 12 months, to send goods from Great Britain to Northern Ireland?
- From Great Britain direct to Northern Ireland
- From Great Britain via Republic of Ireland
- Other
- Not sure
Has your business sent, or intended to send, goods from Great Britain to Northern Ireland in the last two weeks?
- Yes
- No
- Not sure
In the last two weeks, has the volume of goods your business would normally send from Great Britain to Northern Ireland changed?
- Volume has increased
- Volume has stayed the same
- Volume has decreased
- Have stopped sending goods to Northern Ireland
- Not sure
- Not applicable
What were the reasons for this change in the volume of goods sent from Great Britain to Northern Ireland?
- Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic
- Decreased demand for goods
- Increased costs
- Increased delays
- Other
- Not sure
- None of the above
Has your business changed the main route for sending goods from Great Britain to Northern Ireland in the last two weeks?
- Changed to go via Republic of Ireland
- Changed to go direct to Northern Ireland
- No change made
- Not sure
What were the reasons for this change in route?
- Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic
- Increased costs
- Increased delays
- Other
- Not sure
- Route has not been affected
8. Prices of materials, goods and services
How did the prices of materials, goods or services bought by your business change in the last two weeks, compared with normal price fluctuations?
- Prices increased more than normal
- Prices did not change any more than normal
- Prices decreased more than normal
- Some prices increased, some prices decreased
- Not sure
- Not applicable
Please give more details about the prices of materials, goods or services that changed.
What are your expectations about changes in prices of materials, goods or services that your business needs for the next two weeks?
- Expect prices to generally increase
- Expect prices not to change
- Expect prices to generally decrease
- Not sure
How did the prices of goods or services sold by your business change in the last two weeks, compared with normal fluctuations?
- Prices increased more than normal
- Prices did not change any more than normal
- Prices decreased more than normal
- Some prices increased, some prices decreased
- Not sure
- Not applicable
Please give more details about how prices changed.
What are your expectations about prices of goods or services that your business will sell over the next two weeks?
- Prices will generally increase
- Prices will stay the same
- Prices will generally decrease
- Not sure
Has your business had an increase in demand for goods or services sold in the last two weeks?
- Yes
- No
- Not sure
- Not applicable
Which goods or services have had an increase in demand?
Nôl i'r tabl cynnwys9. Stock and capital expenditure
How do your business's stock levels for the last two weeks, compare to normal expectations for this time of year?
- Stock levels are higher than normal
- Stock levels have not changed
- Stock levels are lower than normal
- Not sure
- Not applicable
In the last two weeks, what has had the greatest impact to your business's stock levels?
- 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
Please explain this difference in stock levels in more detail.
Is your business stockpiling any goods or materials?
- Yes, from UK suppliers
- Yes, from EU suppliers
- Yes, from non-EU suppliers
- Not sure
- Not stockpiling any goods or materials
Which of the following materials or goods are you stockpiling?
- Agricultural products
- Chemicals
- Food
- Manufacturing parts
- Metals and materials
- Pharmaceuticals
- Other consumer goods
- Other
- Not sure
Where are the stockpiled materials or goods being stored?
- Within the UK
- Outside the UK: EU
- Outside the UK: non-EU
- Not sure
Which storage solutions are you using for stockpiling these materials or goods?
- Building new storage
- Renting new storage
- Using more of our current storage
- Other
- Not sure
Please tell us more information about the goods or materials you are stockpiling.
How has the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic affected your business's capital expenditure?
- Capital expenditure is higher than normal
- Capital expenditure has not been affected
- Capital expenditure is lower than normal
- Capital expenditure has stopped
- Not sure
- Not applicable
Please explain in more detail how the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has affected capital expenditure.
Nôl i'r tabl cynnwys10. Access to financial support
Has your business applied for any of the following grants?
- Local Restrictions Support Grant -- England
- Local Restrictions Support Scheme - Northern Ireland
- Strategic Framework Business Fund -- Scotland
- Lockdown Business Fund -- Wales
- Not sure
- Not applied for any of these grants
Has your business received any of the following grants?
- Local Restrictions Support Grant -- England
- Local Restrictions Support Scheme - Northern Ireland
- Strategic Framework Business Fund -- Scotland
- Lockdown Business Fund -- Wales
- Not sure
- Not received any of these grants
Has your business received any of these other grants?
- Small business grant
- Sector-specific grant
- Additional Restriction Grant -- England
- Business Contingency Fund Grants -- Scotland
- Business Development Grant -- Wales
- Not sure
- Not received any of these grants
Which governments in the UK provided the small business grant, or grants?
- Northern Ireland Executive
- Scottish Government
- UK Government -- England only
- Welsh Government
- Not sure
Which governments in the UK provided the sector-specific grant, or grants?
- Northern Ireland Executive
- Scottish Government
- UK Government -- England only
- Welsh Government
- Not sure
Has your business received any government-backed loans or finance agreements during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic?
- Yes
- No
- Not sure
Are you using, or intending to use, either of the following schemes?
- Kickstart Job Scheme for young people
- Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS)
- Not sure
- Not using, or intending to use, either of these schemes
How long do you think your business's cash reserves will last?
- No cash reserves
- Less than 1 month
- 1 to 3 months
- 4 to 6 months
- More than 6 months
- Not sure
How much confidence does your business have that it will survive the next three months?
- High confidence
- Moderate confidence
- Low confidence
- No confidence
- Not sure
What is your business's risk of insolvency?
- Severe risk
- Moderate risk
- Low risk
- No risk
- The business is insolvent
- Not sure
How has the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic affected your business's risk of insolvency?
- Risk has increased
- Risk has stayed the same
- Risk has decreased
- Not sure
11. Operational performance
In the last two weeks, approximately what percentage of your business's workforce were:
- On partial or full furlough leave
- Working at their normal place of work
- Working from home instead of at their normal place of work
- On sick leave or not working due to coronavirus (COVID-19) symptoms, self-isolation or quarantine
- Made permanently redundant
- Other
Of those partially and fully furloughed, what percentage are fully furloughed?
- Approximate percentage of furloughed staff who are 'fully furloughed'
- Not sure
In the last two weeks, approximately what percentage of your workforce have:
- Moved from homeworking to the normal workplace
- Moved from the normal workplace to homeworking
- Returned from furlough to homeworking, either fully or partially
- Returned from furlough to the normal workplace, either fully or partially
- Moved from working to furlough, either fully or partially
In the next two weeks, approximately what percentage of your workforce will:
- Moved from working to furlough, either fully or partially
- Return from furlough to homeworking, either fully or partially
- Return from furlough to the normal workplace, either fully or partially
- Return to the workplace from homeworking
Does your business expect to make any of your workforce redundant over the next three months?
- Yes
- No
- Not sure
Approximately what percentage of your workforce do you expect to be made redundant over the next three months?
- Approximate percentage of redundancies in the next three months
- Not sure
When do you expect these redundancies to happen?
- Within the next 2 weeks
- Between 2 weeks and 1 month
- Between 1 and 3 months
- Not sure
12. Comments
Please tell us anything else that may help us understand your business's current situation