Business Insights and Conditions Survey questions: 8 August to 21 August 2022

These questions are for Wave 63 of the fortnightly Business Insights and Conditions Survey (BICS) dispatched on 8 August 2022. These are the most up-to-date survey questions.

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

How did your business's turnover in July 2022 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 September 2022?

• Expect turnover to increase

• Expect turnover to stay the same

• Expect turnover to decrease

• Not sure

Approximately, what percentage of your business's turnover came from online sales in July 2022?

• More than 50% of sales

• Between 26-50% of sales

• Between 10-25% of sales

• Less than 10% of sales

• Not sure

• Business did not have any online sales

What are your business's expectations for the percentage of turnover from online sales in the next 12 months?

• Percentage from online sales will increase

• Percentage from online sales will stay the same

• Percentage from online sales will decrease

• Not sure

• Not applicable

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

• 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 July 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 an increase in any of the following exporting challenges in July 2022, compared with the previous calendar month?

• 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 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

• 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

• None of the above

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

• 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 July 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 an increase in any of the following importing challenges in July 2022, compared with the previous calendar month?

• 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 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

• 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

• None of the above

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

Has your business moved any operations from the UK to the EU in the last 12 months?

• Yes

• No

• Not sure

• Not applicable

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

• Yes

• No

• Not sure

• Not applicable

What was the main reason for global supply chain disruption?

• Conflict in Ukraine

• Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic

• Increased costs

• Shortage of hauliers and carriers

• Shortage of materials

• UK exiting the EU

• Other transportation issues

• Other

• Not sure

Which of the following, if any, will be the main concern for your business in September 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 the business

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

• Not sure

• Business did not experience any challenges

How did the prices of goods or services bought by your business in July 2022 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 July 2022 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 September 2022?

• 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 September 2022?

• Energy prices

• Finance costs

• Labour costs

• Raw material prices

• Other

• Not sure

• Business is not considering raising prices

How did your business's domestic demand for goods and services in July 2022 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 July 2022 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

• Not sure

• The business has not been affected by price rises

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

Yes

No

Not sure

In July 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 July 2022

Comments

How did your business's stock levels of raw materials in July 2022 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 July 2022 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

Where is your business sourcing these stockpiled goods or materials from?

• UK suppliers

• EU suppliers

• Non-EU suppliers

• Not sure

Which of the following goods or materials is your business stockpiling?

• Agricultural products

• Chemicals

• Coal, gas or oil

• Food and beverages

• Manufacturing parts

• Materials

• Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

• Pharmaceuticals

• Other consumer goods

• Other

• Not sure

Where are the stockpiled goods or materials being stored?

• UK

• EU countries

• Non-EU countries

• Not sure

Did your business carry out any in-house Research and Development in 2021?

• Yes

• No

• Not sure

For your in-house R&D in 2021, has your business submitted, or does it intend to submit, a claim for R&D tax credits?

• Yes

• No

• Not sure

In July 2022, approximately what percentage of your business's workforce were:

• Using a hybrid model of working

• Working from home

• Working from a designated workspace

• On sick leave, or not working due to coronavirus (COVID-19) symptoms or self-isolation

• Made permanently redundant

• Other

How did the number of employees at your business in July 2022 compare with the previous calendar month?

• Number of employees increased

• Number of employees stayed the same

• Number of employees decreased

• Not sure

What are your business's expectations for the number of employees in September 2022?

• Number of employees will increase

• Number of employees will stay the same

• Number of employees will decrease

• 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

On average, how many days a week do your business's employees currently work from home?

• One to two days a week

• Three to four days a week

• Five or more days a week

• Not sure

• Employees do not work from home

What are your business's expectations for the number of days a week employees will work from home in the next 12 months?

• Number of days will likely increase

• Number of days will likely stay the same

• Number of days will likely decrease

• Not sure

Did your business experience any difficulties recruiting employees in July 2022?

• Yes

• No

• Not sure

• Not applicable

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

Was your business affected by industrial action in July 2022?

• 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 July 2022?

• 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

• Not sure

In July 2022, 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

• Do 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 July 2022, 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

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

• Comments