Business Insights and Conditions Survey questions Wave 156

These questions are for Wave 156 of the fortnightly Business Insights and Conditions Survey (BICS) dispatched on 4 May 2026. 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

How did your business's turnover in April 2026 compare with the previous calendar month?

• Turnover increased        

• Turnover stayed the same          

• Turnover decreased       

• Not sure            

Which of the following challenges, if any, are currently impacting your business's turnover?

• Competition       

• Cost of labour    

• Cost of materials             

• Economic uncertainty    

• Financial costs   

• Insufficient domestic demand     

• Insufficient international demand             

• Lack of equipment           

• Shortage of labour          

• Shortage of materials     

• Weather conditions         

• Other (Please describe)

• Not sure             

• Not currently experiencing any challenges

What are your business's expectations for turnover in June 2026?

• Expect turnover to increase        

• Expect turnover to stay the same             

• Expect turnover to decrease       

• Not sure             

How did your business's domestic demand for goods and services in April 2026 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 April 2026 compare with the previous calendar month?

• Demand increased          

• Demand stayed the same            

• Demand decreased         

• Not sure             

• Not applicable

How did the prices of goods or services bought by your business in April 2026 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 April 2026 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 June 2026?

• 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 June 2026?

• Energy prices     

• Finance costs     

• Labour costs      

• Raw material prices        

• Transportation or haulage costs 

• Other (Please describe)

• Not sure             

• Business is not considering raising prices

Is your business stockpiling any goods or materials?

• Yes

• No

• Not sure

How did your business's stock levels of raw materials in April 2026 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 April 2026 compare with the previous calendar month?

• Stock levels were higher

• Stock levels stayed the same

• Stock levels were lower

• Not sure

• Not applicable

Was your business able to get the materials, goods or services it needed from within the UK in April 2026?

• 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 2026?

• Yes        

• No         

• Not sure             

• Not applicable

What was the main reason for global supply chain disruption?

• Conflict in Ukraine          

• Conflict in the Middle East          

• Increased costs 

• Severe weather or climate event

• Shortage of hauliers and carriers

• Shortage of materials     

• UK exiting the EU

• United States tariffs        

• Other transportation issues         

• Other (Please describe)

• Not sure

How concerned is your business about energy prices?

• Very concerned

• Somewhat concerned

• Not concerned

• Not sure

Which of the following energy supplies, if any, does your business directly pay for?

• Gas

• Electricity

• Not sure

• Business does not pay for or use energy

Approximately, what proportion of your gas prices are currently fixed or hedged?

• 100%

• Between 76% and 99%

• Between 50% and 75%

• Between 25% and 49%

• Less than 25%

• None are fixed or hedged

• Not sure

Approximately, what proportion of your electricity prices are currently fixed or hedged?

• 100%

• Between 76% and 99%

• Between 50% and 75%

• Between 25% and 49%

• Less than 25%

• None are fixed or hedged

• Not sure

When does your business expect your current gas energy contract to end?

• By 31st May 2026

• Between 1st June and 30th September 2026

• Between 1st October 2026 and 28th February 2027

• After 28th February 2027

• Not sure

• Not applicable

When does your business expect your current electricity energy contract to end?

• By 31st May 2026

• Between 1st June and 30th September 2026

• Between 1st October 2026 and 28th February 2027

• After 28th February 2027

• Not sure

• Not applicable

Approximately, what proportion of your business's total purchases of energy, materials, goods and services was accounted for by energy in April 2026?

• 50% or more

• 25% to 49%

• 15% to 24%

• 5% to 14%

• Less than 5%

• Not sure

• Not applicable

Did your business export or import any goods or services in April 2026?

• Both exported and imported       

• Exported only    

• Imported only   

• Business did not export or import            

• Not sure

Did your business experience an increase in any of the following exporting challenges in April 2026, compared with the previous calendar month?

• Additional paperwork    

• Change in exchange rates            

• Change in transportation costs   

• Customs duties or levies              

• Destination countries changing their border restrictions  

• Disruption at UK borders              

• Difficulty 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 (Please describe)

• Did not experience an increase in any exporting challenges

Did your business experience an increase in any of the following importing challenges in April 2026, compared with the previous calendar month?

• Additional paperwork    

• Change in exchange rates            

• Change in transportation costs   

• Customs duties or levies              

• Disruption at UK borders              

• Difficulty 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 (Please describe)

• Did not experience an increase in any importing challenges

What are your business's expectations for the number of employees in June 2026?

• Number of employees will increase         

• Number of employees will stay the same              

• Number of employees will decrease        

• Not sure

Is your business currently experiencing a shortage of workers?

• Yes        

• No         

• Not sure             

• Not applicable   

Did your business experience any difficulties recruiting employees in April 2026?

• Yes        

• No         

• Not sure             

• Not applicable

Which of the following, if any, will be the main concern for your business in June 2026?

• Business rates   

• Competition with other UK businesses    

• Energy prices     

• Exchange rates  

• Falling demand of goods and services     

• Inflation of goods and services prices      

• Interest rates     

• Property rental costs      

• Supply chain disruption  

• Taxation

• Worker shortages

• Other (Please describe)

• Not sure             

• No concerns for the business

How would you describe your business's overall performance in April 2026, compared with the same 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 long do you expect business's cash reserves will last?

• Less than one month

• One to three months

• Four to six months

• More than six months

• Not sure

• Business has no cash reserves

What is your business's risk of insolvency?

• Severe risk

• Moderate risk

• Low risk

• No risk

• Not sure

• The business is insolvent

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

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

• Comments