Why it matters: The quarterly survey will provide the first comprehensive snapshot of how Suffolk firms are trading following the Chancellor's statement, with findings informing the Chamber's work on infrastructure investment and tax policy.
The Budget was delivered on 26 November after months of speculation about potential tax rises. The statement included a £26 billion tax increase, with frozen income tax thresholds until 2031 and growth forecasts of 1.5 per cent through the parliament.
Suffolk firms put big decisions on ice as Budget divides confidence
Five days after Rachel Reeves delivered her £26 billion tax-raising Budget, Suffolk businesses remain divided on whether the Chancellor has provided the certainty they need – with most major investment decisions deferred until 2026 as firms weigh painful clarity against missing reforms.
What they're saying: Paul Simon, head of public affairs at the Suffolk Chamber of Commerce, said collecting post-Budget data is critical for effective lobbying.
"Policymakers need to see how Suffolk firms are actually responding to higher employment costs and frozen thresholds," he said. "The QES gives us the evidence to lobby for tax reform and infrastructure investment."
The details: The October to December 2025 (Quarter 4) survey captures business conditions before and after last month's Budget, asking firms about sales, cash flow, workforce changes, investment plans and pricing intentions.
Questions cover the past three months, the coming quarter, and the year ahead.
For context: The previous quarter's survey showed cash flow at negative 36 per cent and profitability confidence at negative 35 per cent, with 58 per cent of businesses reporting growing price pressures.
From April, businesses face higher employer national insurance contributions and increased minimum wage rates.
Budget 2025: Who wins and who loses in Ipswich
From frozen tax thresholds to scrapped benefit caps, the chancellor's latest Budget will reshape the finances of thousands of Ipswich households and businesses. We break down exactly who benefits and who pays the price.
The bigger picture: The survey feeds into the British Chambers of Commerce's flagship national survey, with around 5,000 respondents each quarter ensuring Suffolk's experience reaches national policymakers. Previous findings have shaped Suffolk Chamber's lobbying on business taxes and infrastructure investment, areas where the Budget provided limited detail.
What's next: The survey closes at noon on Monday, 8 December. Suffolk Chamber members can complete the survey at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/XC9F8RJ
The bottom line: The survey gives Suffolk firms a direct line to policymakers on how the £26 billion Budget is affecting business on the ground.
Why Suffolk must keep faith in its own economy
The national verdict on Rachel Reeves' Budget has been damning. Analysts have warned of contracting investment, stealth taxes and a squeeze on living standards since the Chancellor's fiscal statement. But those forecasts mean nothing if Suffolk businesses talk themselves into paralysis.
