Business Data for Research 2022
The Business Data for Research (BDR) 2022 dataset was released to all accredited researchers in November 2025. BDR 2022 is a linked, de‑identified dataset combining survey data from the Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE), the NI Annual Business Inquiry (ABI) (including Northern Ireland Economic Trade Statistics (NIETS)) and the Business Register and Employment Survey (BRES).
The dataset provides a longitudinal, business‑level view of employment, earnings, business structure, trade and performance from 2014 to 2022, enabling analysis of firm demographics, productivity, labour market dynamics and export activity, as well as regional and sectoral trends.
BDR 2023 is planned for release in December 2026 and will incorporate several enhancements informed by researcher feedback, including the addition of: Input-Output and Supply-Use reference tables; data from the NI Research and Development survey; and a ‘good jobs’ flag, along with the annual update.
Together, these enhancements will significantly extend the analytical capability of the dataset, enabling more detailed and integrated research on business behaviour, supply chains, innovation and job quality across the Northern Ireland economy.
