1. Survey information

These questions are for Wave 59 of the fortnightly Business Insights and Conditions Survey (BICS) dispatched on the 13th of June 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. Turnover

How did your business’s turnover in May 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 July 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 May 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 May 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 July 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 July 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 May 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 May 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

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5. Stock

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

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7. Workforce characteristics

How has the number of workers from within the EU at your business in May 2022 changed compared with this calendar month last year?

  • Number of workers from within the EU has increased

  • We employ workers from within the EU, and the number has stayed the same

  • Number of workers from within the EU has decreased

  • Not relevant, as have not employed workers from within the EU

  • Not sure

  • Prefer not to say

How has the number of workers from outside the EU at your business in May 2022 changed compared with this calendar month last year?

  • Number of workers from outside the EU has increased

  • We employ workers from outside the EU, and the number has stayed the same

  • Number of workers from outside the EU has decreased

  • Not relevant, as have not employed workers from outside the EU

  • Not sure

  • Prefer not to say

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8. Net-zero carbon emissions

Which of the following actions, if any, has your business taken to protect the environment?

  • Has a climate change strategy

  • Has a net zero or greenhouse gas emissions target

  • Has a net zero or greenhouse gas emissions target which includes supply chain

  • Has a nature or biodiversity strategy

  • Has a nature or biodiversity target

  • Monitors climate-related risks

  • Publishes an annual sustainability report

  • Other

  • Not sure

  • None of the above

Which of the following actions, if any, have you taken to reduce your business's carbon emissions?

  • Adjusting heating and cooling systems

  • Electrifying your vehicle fleet

  • Going paperless

  • Installing a smart meter

  • Installing charging points

  • Installing your own renewable electricity or heating

  • Insulating your buildings

  • Introducing a cycle to work scheme

  • Switching to LED bulbs

  • Other

  • Not sure

  • No actions have been taken to reduce emissions

Have any of the following been used to assess the impact of climate change on your business's ability to operate?

  • Assessment of demand for goods or services

  • Assessment of finance, investments or insurance

  • Excessive heat risk assessment

  • Flooding risk assessment

  • Resource efficiency assessment

  • Technological assessment

  • Water scarcity risk assessment

  • Other

  • Not sure

  • Have not conduced any assessments

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9. Business confidence

How would you describe your business's overall performance in May 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

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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