It appears legitimate but I have never seen one before. Basically saying that I am legally required to give them some basic financial information about my trading in June 2017 and it has to be completed by 7 July or I will be liable for penalties.

Is it legitimate? Anyone had this before? (I have been in business for 14 years and have never seen anything like this).

Cheers

As long as it’s listed on here as an active survey then you have to provide the info requested by the date specified. There’s quite a good FAQ section linked from this page too.

https://www.ons.gov.uk/surveys/informationforbusinesses

4. Do I need to complete the survey?
What authority does ONS have to conduct its business surveys?

Most ONS business surveys are conducted under Section 1 of the Statistics of Trade Act 1947, so your business is required by law to provide the information requested.
Can I be exempt from completing the survey questionnaire?

No. Once selected a business is legally obliged to complete the survey because it is conducted under the provisions of the Statistics of Trade Act 1947
Is there an appeal process?

No. There is no appeal process, nor can you be exempt from selection for ONS business surveys. However, if you think that there are circumstances that we need to be aware of, please contact us as soon as possible.
What will happen if I do not complete the questionnaire?

Failure to comply could lead to prosecution at a Magistrates Court with a fine up to a maximum of £2,500 (last up dated by section 17 of the Criminal Justice Act 1991). If this happens you will still need to complete the questionnaire.
Will I get paid for completing an ONS business survey?

No. Although ONS appreciated the time and effort you take to complete our surveys, it is unable to offer payment as completing the survey is a legal duty and not a service.
Will I be fined if I return my questionnaire late?

No. However, ONS does encourage businesses to return data as soon as possible to ensure the results produced are accurate.
What will happen if I provide false data?

Ultimately, ONS must rely on the integrity of its respondents to supply reliable information but to knowingly provide false information [or to provide it recklessly] is an offence under the Section 4 of the Statistics of Trade Act 1947 which can result in legal action. On conviction, penalties incurred can vary from a maximum of £4,000 and /or three months imprisonment, to an unlimited fine and two years imprisonment.
How will you know whether the data I provide is false?

For most of our surveys we have various validation checks built into the processing systems which identify any “atypical” values entered in response to a particular question. Any anomalies are queried with businesses and they are either corrected, or a note is made to explain why the anomaly has arisen.

Is it legitimate? Anyone had this before? (I have been in business for 14 years and have never seen anything like this).

I used to get them for a year or so. Not terribly arduous

They do try to ensure that there’s a wide coverage. My employer has just been informed that we no longer need to complete monthly ONS reports on monthly salaries and headcount.

Which is nice, as I’m responsible for completing these.

I used to get them for a year or so. Not terribly arduous

No it’s not at all, I am just naturally suspicious about giving any data that might compromise something somewhere.

I have had to do a few of them, if they are just requesting monthly turnover etc you just ring the number on the form and go through the automated process. They are legit but some of the questions seem pointless.

Used to get these regularly asking about recruitment and vacancy numbers. They went straight in the bin and I heard no more about it.