1. Survey information

These questions are for Wave 69 of the fortnightly Business Insights and Conditions Survey (BICS) dispatched on the 31st of October 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

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
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3. Turnover

How did your business's turnover in October 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 December 2022?

  • 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 October 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 October 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 December 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 December 2022?

  • Energy prices
  • Finance costs
  • Labour costs
  • Raw material prices
  • Other
  • Not sure
  • Business is not considering raising prices

To what extent has your business already passed through higher costs to prices?

  • More than 75%
  • Between 50-74%
  • Between 25-49%
  • Less than 24%
  • Not sure
  • Business has not passed through any higher costs

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

What price per kWh does your business expect to pay for gas from 1 April 2023?

  • Less than 1p per kWh
  • 1p to 5p per kWh
  • 6p to 10p per kWh
  • 11p to 15p per kWh
  • 16p to 20p per kWh
  • 21p to 25p per kWh
  • 26p to 30p per kWh
  • More than 30p per kWh
  • The business expects to pay market prices
  • The business does not directly pay gas bills
  • The business does not have a gas supply
  • Not sure

When does your business expect the gas contract to end?

  • April 2023 to June 2023
  • July 2023 to September 2023
  • October 2023 to December 2023
  • After December 2023
  • The business has a variable price energy contract
  • The business does not directly pay gas bills
  • Not sure

What price per kWh does your business expect to pay for electricity from 1 April 2023?

  • Less than 11p per kWh
  • 11p to 20p per kWh
  • 21p to 30p per kWh
  • 31p to 40p per kWh
  • 41p to 50p per kWh
  • 51p to 60p per kWh
  • 61p to 70p per kWh
  • More than 70p per kWh
  • The business expects to pay market prices
  • The business does not directly pay electricity bills
  • Not sure

When does your business expect the electricity contract to end?

  • April 2023 to June 2023
  • July 2023 to September 2023
  • October 2023 to December 2023
  • After December 2023
  • The business has a variable price energy contract
  • The business does not directly pay electricity bills
  • Not sure
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5. Stock levels

How did your business's stock levels of raw materials in October 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 October 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
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7. Business confidence

In October 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 October 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

How much confidence does your business have that it will survive the next three months?

  • High confidence
  • Moderate confidence
  • Low confidence
  • No confidence
  • 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