1. Survey information
These questions are for Wave 96 of the fortnightly Business Insights and Conditions Survey (BICS) dispatched on 13 November 2023.
Back to table of contents2. Trading Status of Your Business
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
Where in the UK are your sites temporarily or permanently closed, if any?
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
Do not have any sites
None of our sites are temporarily or permanently closed
3. Exporting
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 (Please describe)
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 October 2023 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 October 2023, 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 (Please describe)
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 (Please describe)
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 (Please describe)
None of the above
4. Importing
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 (Please describe)
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 October 2023 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 October 2023, 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 (Please describe)
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 (Please describe)
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 (Please describe)
None of the above
5. UK Conformity Assessed (UKCA) marking
Does your business manufacture, import, or distribute products that require either a CE marking or a 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
To what extent is your business currently using UKCA marking for its products that require either a CE or a UKCA marking?
Not using UKCA marking
Using UKCA marking for a minority of products
Using UKCA marking for a majority of products, but not all
Using UKCA marking for all products
Not sure
To what extent is your business planning to use UKCA marking in November 2024 for its products that require either a CE or UKCA marking?
Do not plan to use UKCA marking in this calendar month next year
Plan to use UKCA marking for a minority of products in this calendar month next year
Plan to use UKCA marking for a majority of products, but not all, in this calendar month next year
Plan to use UKCA marking for all products in this calendar month next year
Not sure
6. Supply chains
Has your business had any extra costs due to the end of the EU transition period?
Additional transportation costs
Cost associated with changing supply chains
Costs associated with the storage of goods
Costs due to increased red tape
Costs incurred from wasted goods
Cost of setting up EU subsidiaries
Extra costs in the prices of goods and services imported
Extra tariffs or taxes
Other (Please describe)
Not sure
No extra costs
Does your business intend to open any new branches or subsidiaries in the EU in the next 12 months?
Yes
No
Not sure
Was your business able to get the materials, goods or services it needed from within the UK in October 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 materials, goods or services needed
Not applicable
How much disruption to your business have these challenges caused?
Major disruption
Moderate disruption
Minor disruption
No disruption
Not sure
Did your business experience any global supply chain disruption in October 2023?
Yes
No
Not sure
Not applicable
7. Sending goods
Has your business sent goods from GB to Northern Ireland in the last 12 months?
Yes
No
Not sure
In October 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 October 2023:
- Comments
8. Workforce trends
Does your business expect to make any of your workforce redundant over the next three months?
Yes
No
Not sure
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
Does your business expect to make any of your workforce redundant over the next three months?
Yes
No
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
Why is your business making these redundancies?
Automation
Business is closing or insolvent
Certain job roles are no longer required
Change in management
Relocation of the business
Site closures
To reduce staff costs
Other (Please describe)
Not sure
Prefer not to say
Yes
No
Not sure
9. Sending goods
On average, how did employees' hourly wages in October 2023 compare with employees' hourly wages in the previous calendar month?
Wages increased
Wages stayed the same
Wages decreased
Not sure
Is your business currently experiencing a shortage of workers?
Yes
No
Not sure
Not applicable
How has the shortage of workers affected your business?
Employees working increased hours
Business had to pause trading entirely
Had to pause trading of some of the business
Business had to recruit temporary workers
Unable to meet demands
Other (Please describe)
Not sure
Business has not been affected
10. Industrial action
Was your business affected by industrial action in October 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 October 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
11. Comments
Please tell us anything else about your business's current situation relating to topics covered in this survey:
- Comments
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