1. Survey information

These questions are for Wave 56 of the fortnightly Business Insights and Conditions Survey (BICS) dispatched on 3 May 2022. These are the most up-to-date survey questions.

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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. Exporting

Which of the following 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?

  • Changes from EU to non-EU

  • Changes from non-EU to EU

  • Changed in a different way

  • 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 April 2022 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 any of the following challenges with exporting goods or services in April 2022?

  • Additional paperwork

  • 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

  • Did not experience any challenges with exporting

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

  • 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 disruption

  • Understanding markets and demand issues

  • Other

  • None of the above

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4. Importing

Which of the following 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 and 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

  • 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 April 2022 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 any of the following challenges with importing goods or services in April 2022?

  • Additional paperwork

  • 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

  • Did not experience any challenges with importing

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

  • 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 disruption

  • Understanding markets and demand issues

  • Other

  • None of the above

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5. UK Conformity Assessed marking

Does your business manufacture, import, or distribute products that require either a CE marking or the new UK Conformity Assessed (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

Is your business aware that most CE marked products need to be UKCA marked from 1 January 2023?

  • Yes

  • No

  • Not sure

Is your business using, or intending to use, the UKCA marking by 1 January 2023?

  • Already using UKCA marking

  • Not aware of, or do not know how to meet, requirements for the UKCA

  • Not using the UKCA marking, but plan to by 1 January 2023

  • Will not use UKCA marking, as not relevant to our products or business

  • Not sure

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6. Supply chains

Was your business able to get the materials, goods or services it needed from the EU in April 2022?

  • 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

Was your business able to get the materials, goods or services it needed from within the UK in April 2022?

  • 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

Did your business experience any global supply chain disruption in April 2022?

  • Yes

  • No

  • Not sure

  • Not applicable

Which of the following, if any, will be the main concern for your business in May 2022?

  • Business rates

  • Competition

  • Energy prices

  • Exchange rates

  • Inflation of goods and services prices

  • Interest rates

  • Supply chain disruption

  • Taxation

  • Other

  • Not sure

  • No concerns for my business

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7. Sending goods from Great Britain to Northern Ireland

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

  • Yes

  • No

  • Not sure

In April 2022, 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 April 2022

  • Comments
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8. Operational performance

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

  • Had to pause trading entirely

  • Had to pause trading of some of the business

  • Had to recruit temporary workers

  • Unable to meet demands

  • Other

  • Not sure

  • Business has not been affected

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9. Innovation

How has your business's innovation changed since March 2020?

  • There has been more innovation

  • Innovation has not changed

  • There has been less innovation

  • Not sure

  • Not applicable

In which of the following areas, if any, did your business increase innovation since March 2020?

  • Adoption of home or hybrid working

  • Adoption of online sales models

  • Improvement of existing products and services

  • Improvements in methods of logistics, delivery or distribution

  • Improvements in methods of manufacturing products and services

  • Introduction of new products and services

  • Investment in innovation activities

  • Other

  • Not sure

  • Business did not increase innovation

In which of the following areas, if any, did your business make adjustments to support innovations since March 2020?

  • Communication with external stakeholders

  • Communication within the business

  • Employee monitoring and incentives

  • Hiring, redundancy and promotion

  • Key performance indicators

  • Processes for dealing with, and anticipating, problems

  • Responsibility for key decisions

  • Target-setting within the business

  • Other

  • Not sure

  • Business did not make any adjustments

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10. 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

Emily Hopson
bics@ons.gov.uk
Telephone: +44 1633 455 592