Business Insights and Conditions Survey questions: 20 April 2026 to 3 May 2026

These questions are for Wave 155 of the fortnightly Business Insights and Conditions Survey (BICS) dispatched on 20 April 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 March 2026 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 March 2026 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 March 2026 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 March 2026 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 March 2026 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 March 2026 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 April 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

Which of the following factors, if any, is your business concerned about impacting supply chains over the next 12 months?

• Artificial Intelligence
• Climate change
• Cyber attacks
• Increased barriers to trade
• International conflict
• Market distorting practices
• Nature and biodiversity risks
• Sanctions
• Shipping disruption
• Other (Please describe)
• Not sure
• Business is not concerned about factors impacting supply chains over the next 12 months

How does your business expect these factors to impact supply chains?

• Increased costs of sourcing materials
• Increased labour costs
• Increased transportation costs
• Shortage of inputs
• Other (Please describe)
• Not sure
• Business does not expect these factors to impact supply chains

Which of the following actions, if any, did your business take to increase supply chain resilience in the last 12 months?

• Demand management
• Diversification of suppliers across a broader range of countries
• Improved relationships with key suppliers
• Increased awareness of supply chains
• Onshoring
• Relocated existing sourcing to another country
• Stockpiling and surge capacity
• Other (Please describe)
• Not sure
• Not applicable

Which of the following actions, if any, does your business plan to take to increase supply chain resilience over the next 12 months?

• Demand management
• Diversification of suppliers across a broader range of countries
• Improve relationships with key suppliers
• Increase awareness of supply chains
• Onshoring
• Relocate existing sourcing to another country
• Stockpiling and surge capacity
• Other (Please describe)
• Not sure
• Not applicable

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 March 2026, 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 March 2026

• Comments

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

• Yes
• No
• Not sure

In March 2026, 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 March 2026

• Comments

Was your business able to get the materials, goods or services it needed from the EU in March 2026?

• 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 March 2026?

• 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

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

• Comments

Which of the following, if any, will be the main concern for your business in May 2026?  

• Business rates  
• Competition with other UK businesses  
• Energy prices  
• Exchange rates  
• Falling demand of goods and services  
• Inflation of goods and services prices  
• Interest rates  
• Property rental costs  
• Supply chain disruption  
• Taxation 
• Worker shortages 
• Other (Please describe) 
• Not sure  
• No concerns for the business 

How would you describe your business's overall performance in March 2026, compared with the same calendar month last year?  

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

How do you expect your business's overall performance to change over the next 12 months?  

• Performance will increase  
• Performance will stay the same  
• Performance will decrease  
• Not sure  

How long do you expect business's cash reserves will last? 

• Less than one month 
• One to three months 
• Four to six months 
• More than six months 
• Not sure 
• Business has no cash reserves 

What is your business's risk of insolvency? 

• Severe risk 
• Moderate risk 
• Low risk 
• No risk 
• Not sure 
• The business is insolvent 

How much confidence does your business have that it will meet its current debt obligations? 

• High confidence 
• Moderate confidence 
• Low confidence 
• No confidence 
• Not sure 
• Business does not have any debt obligations

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

• Comments