Defra is currently running a weekly survey on staff absences and labour supply. The aim of this survey is to collect accurate and representative data on the current state of the labour market in key sectors of the UK economy. Data collected will be used to assess the extent to which the supply of labour is meeting demand and to understand the main drivers behind any shortfall in the supply of labour.
The NFU is asking members to complete the survey to help ensure that Defra has regular, reliable information outlining the impact that the current labour shortage is having across all sectors of farming, and the wider supply chain.
Who can take part
The survey can be completed by any business operating within one of the following five sectors:
- waste
- water
- food
- vet medicines
- ornamental horticulture
How to take part
Access the survey here: State of the labour market in water, waste, food and veterinary medicine sectors. Bookmark this link to make accessing it even easier - the link will remain the same each week.
The survey opens each Friday and runs until 5pm the following Thursday. It should take no longer than 15 minutes to complete.
The survey aims to take a snapshot of the situation at a specific point in time and to provide a consistent picture across all businesses within the five sectors listed above.
Defra has confirmed that due to the sensitivity of the data the survey is anonymised, and raw data will not be shared outside of central government.