FOI reference: FOI-2025-3283
You asked
Could you please provide me with the following under a freedom of information request:
The amount you spend operationally (approximately) per paper survey to facilitate manually (both individually and in aggregate), including survey count that matches this criteria.
The amount you spend operationally per digital survey that are fully automated, plus in aggregate, including survey count that matches this criteria.
We said
Thank you for your request.
The associated download provides the latest available data for the calendar year 2025:
Table 1: Costs for individual digital surveys.
Table 2: Costs for individual paper-based surveys. Some surveys marked with footnotes were initially paper based but have transitioned to digital during the year.
Table 3: Costs for “hybrid” surveys that are collected via both paper and digital methods
These figures include direct costs (such as postage, printing, staff collecting data) and indirect costs (such as training and business support).
For survey sample counts, these are available for each survey on the Information pages related to business surveys on the ONS Website.
Download associated with request
- Production costs of business surveys 2025 (105.6 kB pdf)