Business Insights and Conditions Survey questions: 19 January 2026 to 1 February 2026

These questions are for Wave 149 of the fortnightly Business Insights and Conditions Survey (BICS) dispatched on 19 January 2026.

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

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 

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 

Has your business had any extra costs directly related to changes in export regulations due to the end of the EU transition period? 

• Costs increased but are now stable 
• Costs increased and are still increasing 
• Costs were stable but are now increasing 
• No cost increases experienced at any point 
• Not sure 

How did your business's exporting in December 2025 compare with the same calendar month last year? 

• Exported more 
• Exporting stayed the same 
• Exported less 
• Business was unable to export 
• Not sure 

How did your business's cost of exporting in December 2025 compare with the same calendar month last year? 

• Cost increased 
• Cost stayed the same 
• Cost decreased 
• Not sure 

How did the time spent on exporting in December 2025 compare with the same calendar month last year? 

• Time spent increased 
• Time spent stayed the same 
• Time spent decreased 
• Not sure 

Which of the following support options has your business benefited 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 

Does your business currently meet the rules of origin to access preferential tariffs on exports? 

• All exports meet the rules of origin to access preferential tariffs 
• Some exports meet the rules of origin to access preferential tariffs 
• Exports do not meet the rules of origin to access preferential tariffs 
• Not sure 
• Not applicable 

Why does your business not currently meet the rules of origin to access preferential tariffs on exports? 

• Exports cannot meet rules of origin requirements 
• Administrative costs of rules of origin are too high or burdensome 
• Lack of knowledge 
• Lack of understanding, staffing or expertise 
• Other (Please describe) 
• Not sure 
• Not applicable

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 

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 

Has your business had any extra costs directly related to changes in import regulations due to the end of the EU transition period? 

• Costs increased but are now stable 
• Costs increased and are still increasing 
• Costs were stable but are now increasing 
• No cost increases experienced at any point 
• Not sure 

How did your business's importing in December 2025 compare with the same calendar month last year? 

• Imported more 
• Importing stayed the same 
• Imported less 
• Business was unable to import 
• Not sure 

How did your business's cost of importing in December 2025 compare with the same calendar month last year? 

• Cost increased 
• Cost stayed the same 
• Cost decreased 
• Not sure 

How did the time spent on importing in December 2025 compare with the same calendar month last year? 

• Time spent increased 
• Time spent stayed the same 
• Time spent decreased 
• 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

Does your business manufacture, import or distribute products for the GB market that use a CE or UKCA marking? 

• Yes, the business manufactures products that need a CE or UKCA marking 
• Yes, the business imports products that need a CE or UKCA marking 
• Yes, the business distributes products that need a CE or UKCA marking 
• Not sure 
• No, the business does not manufacture, import or distribute products that need a CE or UKCA marking 

Approximately, what proportion of the products your business manufactures, imports or distributes for the GB market currently use the UKCA marking instead of, or in addition to, the CE marking? 

• Business is using UKCA marking for all products 
• Business is using UKCA marking for a majority of products, but not all 
• Business is using UKCA marking for a minority of products 
• Business is not using UKCA marking 
• Not sure 

Approximately, what proportion of the products that your business intends to manufacture, import or distribute for the GB market on or after January 2027 will use the UKCA marking instead of, or in addition to, the CE marking? 

• Business intends to use UKCA marking for all products in this calendar month next year 
• Business intends to use UKCA marking for a majority of products, but not all, in this calendar month next year 
• Business intends to use UKCA marking for a minority of products in this calendar month next year 
• Business does not intend to use UKCA marking in this calendar month next year 
• Not sure

In the last 12 months, has your business purchased goods or services from suppliers in other UK nations? 

• Yes 
• No 
• Not sure 

In the last 12 months, which of the following goods or services has your business purchased from suppliers in other UK nations? 

• Casual labour 
• Financial services 
• Finished goods 
• Professional services 
• Semi-finished or intermediate goods 
• Raw materials 
• 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 December 2025, 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 December 2025 

• Comments 

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

• Yes 
• No 
• Not sure 

In December 2025, 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 December 2025 

• Comments

Does your business plan to import or export goods to or from UK Freeports in the next 12 months? 

• Yes 
• No 
• Not sure 

Why is your business not planning to import or export goods from UK Freeports within the next 12 months? 

• Application process is burdensome 
• Application is unlikely to be processed in time 
• Application was rejected by HM Revenue and Customs 
• Business does not import or export goods to or from the UK 
• Business is already utilising existing customs procedures 
• Business is not located in a designated freeport area 
• Other (Please describe) 
• Not sure 

Was your business able to get the materials, goods or services it needed from the EU in December 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 EU in the next 12 months? 

• Yes 
• No 
• Not sure 

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

Does your business offer additional support to employees who are unpaid carers, beyond the statutory week of unpaid carer's leave? 

• Yes 

• No 

• Not sure 

What additional support does your business offer to employees who are unpaid carers? 

• Access to advisory services 

• Employee peer support group 

• Flexible working arrangements 

• Line manager training on how to support unpaid carers 

• Paid leave up to one week in a 12 month period 

• Paid leave of more than one week in a 12 month period 

• Unpaid leave of more than one week in a 12 month period 

• Other (Please describe) 

• Not sure 

What types of support, if any, does your business offer to employees affected by a pregnancy loss before 24 weeks? 

• Access to internal advisory services 

• Employee peer support 

• Flexible working arrangements 

• Paid leave up to one week in a 12 month period 

• Paid leave for more than one week in a 12 month period 

• Unpaid leave up to one week in a 12 month period 

• Unpaid leave for more than one week in a 12 month period 

• Other (Please describe) 

• Not sure 

• Prefer not to say 

• Business does not offer support to employees affected by a pregnancy loss before 24 weeks

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

• Comments