1. Survey information

These questions are for Wave 84 of the fortnightly Business Insights and Conditions Survey (BICS) dispatched on 30 May 2023.

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2. 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

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3. Turnover

How did your business's turnover in May 2023 compare with the previous calendar month? 

  • Turnover increased 

  • Turnover stayed the same 

  • Turnover decreased 

  • Not sure 

What are your business's expectations for turnover in July 2023? 

  • Expect turnover to increase 

  • Expect turnover to stay the same 

  • Expect turnover to decrease 

  • Not sure

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4. Prices

How did the prices of goods or services bought by your business in May 2023 compare with the previous calendar month? 

  • Prices increased 

  • Prices stayed the same 

  • Prices decreased 

  • Not sure 

  • Not applicable 

How did the prices of goods or services sold by your business in May 2023 compare with the previous calendar month? 

  • Prices increased 

  • Prices stayed the same 

  • Prices decreased 

  • Not sure 

  • Not applicable 

What are your business's expectations for the prices of goods or services sold in July 2023? 

  • Prices will increase 

  • Prices will stay the same 

  • Prices will decrease 

  • Not sure 

  • Not applicable 

Which of the following factors, if any, are causing your business to consider raising prices in July 2023? 

  • Energy prices 

  • Finance costs 

  • Labour costs 

  • Raw material prices 

  • Other (Please describe) 

  • Not sure 

  • Business is not considering raising prices 

How did your business's domestic demand for goods and services in May 2023 compare with the previous calendar month? 

  • Demand increased 

  • Demand stayed the same 

  • Demand decreased 

  • Not sure 

  • Not applicable 

How did your business's international demand for goods and services in May 2023 compare with the previous calendar month? 

  • Demand increased 

  • Demand stayed the same 

  • Demand decreased 

  • Not sure 

  • Not applicable 

Has your business been affected by recent increases in energy prices? 

  • Yes, production has been affected 

  • Yes, suppliers have been affected 

  • Yes, both production and suppliers have been affected 

  • No, the business has not been affected 

  • Not sure 

  • Not applicable 

In which of the following ways, if any, has your business been affected by price rises? 

  • Discontinued lines of sale 

  • Had to absorb costs 

  • Had to access more financial support 

  • Had to change suppliers 

  • Had to make redundancies 

  • Had to pass on price increases to customers 

  • Had to reduce staff work hours 

  • Unable to maintain workspaces 

  • Other (Please describe) 

  • Not sure 

  • Business has not been affected by price rises

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5. Stock levels

How did your business's stock levels of raw materials in May 2023 compare with the previous calendar month? 

  • Stock levels were higher 

  • Stock levels stayed the same 

  • Stock levels were lower 

  • Not sure 

  • Not applicable 

How did your business's stock levels of finished goods in May 2023 compare with the previous calendar month? 

  • Stock levels were higher 

  • Stock levels stayed the same 

  • Stock levels were lower 

  • Not sure 

  • Not applicable 

Is your business stockpiling any goods or materials? 

  • Yes 

  • No 

  • Not sure

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7. Business confidence

In May 2023, how did your business's debt repayments compare with turnover? 

  • Repayments were more than 100% of turnover 

  • Repayments were between 50% and 100% of turnover 

  • Repayments were between 20% and 50% of turnover 

  • Repayments were up to 20% of turnover 

  • Not sure 

  • Not applicable 

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

What is your business's risk of insolvency? 

  • Severe risk 

  • Moderate risk 

  • Low risk 

  • No risk 

  • Not sure 

  • The business is insolvent 

How would you describe your business's overall performance in May 2023, compared with this 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

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8. Comments

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

  • Comments
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Contact details for this Article

Gemma Rabaiotti
bics@ons.gov.uk
Telephone: +44 1633 455 592