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Quarterly Economic Survey Q2 2026
Quarterly Economic Survey
1.
First name and Surname
*
2.
Name of organisation and email
(Required.)
3.
What Chamber of Commerce is your business a member of? (If you are not a Chamber member, where is your business located?) - answers are arranged by UK region
East Mids: Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire
East Mids: Lincolnshire
East Mids: Northamptonshire
East: Bedfordshire
East: Cambridgeshire
East: Essex
East: Hertfordshire
East: Norfolk
East: Suffolk
London
Milton Keynes
North East
North West: Cumbria
North West: East Lancashire
North West: Greater Manchester
North West: Liverpool
North West: North and West Lancashire
North West: St Helens
North West: Wirral
Northern Ireland
Scotland: Aberdeen & Grampian
Scotland: Ayrshire
Scotland: Dundee & Angus
Scotland: Fife
Scotland: Inverness
Scotland: Other
Scotland: Renfrewshire
South Cheshire
South East: Hampshire
South East: Isle of Wight
South East: Kent Invicta
South East: Surrey
South East: Sussex
South East: Thames Valley
South West: Business West/Bristol
South West: Cornwall
South West: Devon
South West: Dorset
South West: Somerset
Wales: South Wales
Wales: West Cheshire & North Wales
West Mids: Birmingham
West Mids: Black Country
West Mids: Coventry & Warwickshire
West Mids: Hereford & Worcestershire
West Mids: Shropshire
West Mids: Staffordshire
Yorks & Humber: Barnsley & Rotherham
Yorks & Humber: Doncaster
Yorks & Humber: Hull & Humber
Yorks & Humber: Mid Yorkshire
Yorks & Humber: Sheffield
Yorks & Humber: West and North Yorkshire
*
4.
How many people does your organisation or branch employ? If you are a sole-trade, simply type in 0.
(Required.)
*
5.
Which of the following best describes your main business activity?
(Required.)
Agriculture, fishing, mining, energy, or utilities
Manufacture of electronic or IT goods
Other manufacturing
Construction or engineering
Transport, logistics, or storage
Retailing or wholesale
Hospitality, catering, or tourism
Professional services (e.g. finance, accounting, legal, training, property, IT, data, consultancy, recruitment)
Marketing, media, advertising, or communications
Consumer services (e.g. cleaning, decorating, plumbing, repairs, leisure, recreation)
Public sector, education, health, social work or voluntary
Other services not listed above
6.
UK and overseas markets
Excluding seasonal variations, over the past 3 months...
Increased
Remained Constant
Decreased
UK sales or bookings have...
Increased
Remained Constant
Decreased
UK orders or advance bookings have...
Increased
Remained Constant
Decreased
Export sales or bookings have...
Increased
Remained Constant
Decreased
Export orders or advance bookings have...
Increased
Remained Constant
Decreased
Please note: only complete the export questions if you are an exporter
7.
Labour Force
Increased
Remained Constant
Decreased
Over the past 3 months, has your workforce...
Increased
Remained Constant
Decreased
Over the next 3 months, do you expect your workforce to...
Increased
Remained Constant
Decreased
8.
Recruitment
Yes
No
Have you attempted to recruit staff over the past 3 months?
Yes
No
9.
If
yes
, were they for:
Part-time jobs
Full-time jobs
Temporary jobs
Permanent jobs
10.
Recruitment
difficulties
Yes
No
If you attempted to recruit, did you experience any difficulties finding suitable staff?
Yes
No
11.
If
yes
, for which of the following categories of employee:
Skilled manual or technical
Professional or managerial
Clerical
Semi/unskilled
12.
AI and Entry-Level Recruitment:
To what extent is the adoption of Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies influencing your organisation’s plans for recruiting entry-level roles over the next 12 months?
Significantly increasing demand for entry-level roles
Slightly increasing demand
No change in demand
Slightly reducing demand
Significantly reducing demand
Not applicable
Don't know
If relevant, please briefly explain how AI is influencing your entry-level recruitment strategy.
13.
How satisfied are you with the support and guidance available to help your business navigate skills and training policies (e.g. Growth & Skills Levy, apprenticeships, modular training)? (Select one)
Very satisfied
Fairly satisfied
Neither satisfied nor dissatisfied
Fairly dissatisfied
Very dissatisfied
Not aware of any support available
14.
Before today, how aware were you of degree apprenticeships as a route for training and recruitment in your business? (Select one)
Very aware and actively using them
Aware but not currently using them
Aware but do not know enough to use them
Not aware before today
15.
Please indicate the education or training activities your business/employees have engaged in within the last 12 months:
Apprenticeships
In-work upskilling (delivered via existing employees)
In-work upskilling (via external trainers)
Online training courses
Industry specific seminars or training conferences
Providing work experience to students
Supporting education/training providers with the development new provision
School/college engagement (e.g. careers fairs or talks)
Supporting teacher training and upskilling - or developing their industry experience
Supporting/engaging the DWP or education/employment charities
Off-the-job training undertaken by an external provider
Other
None
16.
Cash flow and investment
Increased
Remained Constant
Decreased
Over the past 3 months,
cash flow
has...
Increased
Remained Constant
Decreased
Over the past 3 months, investment plans for
plant, machinery, tech or equipment
have...
Increased
Remained Constant
Decreased
Over the past 3 months, investment plans for
training
have...
Increased
Remained Constant
Decreased
17.
Business Confidence
Improve
Remain the same
Worsen
Over the next 12 months, do you believe your business's
turnover
will...
Improve
Remain the same
Worsen
Over the next 12 months, do you believe your business's
profitability
will...
Improve
Remain the same
Worsen
18.
Capacity
Full capacity
Below capacity
Are you currently operating at...
Full capacity
Below capacity
19.
Prices/Costs
Increase
Remain the Same
Decrease
Over the next 3 months, do you expect the price of your good/services to...
Increase
Remain the Same
Decrease
20.
Is your business currently suffering pressures to raise its prices from any of the following? (please tick all that apply)
Labour costs (e.g. salaries, pay settlements, contractors)
Raw material prices (e.g. steel, cardboard, food)
Utilities (e.g. gas, electricity)
Fuel (e.g. petrol, diesel)
Finance costs
Other overheads
21.
Please indicate which of these following factors are more of a concern to your business than 3 months ago (please tick all that apply)
Interest rates
Exchange rates
Business rates
Inflation
Competition
Taxation
*
22.
In light of the conflict in the Middle East, what actions have you taken in response?
(Required.)
Increased inventory
Adjusted prices
Sourced alternative suppliers
Reviewed contracts
Reviewed energy contracts
Reviewed currency arrangements
Engaging employees on managing tensions, stress/anxiety and uncertainty exacerbated by the conflict
Utilised alternative shipping routes or methods
None
Other (please specify)
23.
Feedback
Feel free to include additional feedback about business or economic conditions in the previous three months
24.
Are you happy to be contacted by the Chamber?
Yes
