Tom Adams
@tomadam.bsky.social
I love that it's just "sandwich table".
I think we should start referring to budgets like this as "beige buffets".
I think we should start referring to budgets like this as "beige buffets".
November 27, 2025 at 12:54 PM
I love that it's just "sandwich table".
I think we should start referring to budgets like this as "beige buffets".
I think we should start referring to budgets like this as "beige buffets".
Exactly this - but the change will inadvertently embed this sense that "5% is sensible".
It's not. Most providers and advice services recommend at least 12-15%.
I know that absolutely isn't feasible for lots of people, but the gov should be encouraging increased saving, not disincentiving it.
It's not. Most providers and advice services recommend at least 12-15%.
I know that absolutely isn't feasible for lots of people, but the gov should be encouraging increased saving, not disincentiving it.
November 27, 2025 at 11:40 AM
Exactly this - but the change will inadvertently embed this sense that "5% is sensible".
It's not. Most providers and advice services recommend at least 12-15%.
I know that absolutely isn't feasible for lots of people, but the gov should be encouraging increased saving, not disincentiving it.
It's not. Most providers and advice services recommend at least 12-15%.
I know that absolutely isn't feasible for lots of people, but the gov should be encouraging increased saving, not disincentiving it.
It's another nudge that £2000pa is a good amount to put in a pension (put in any more and we'll tax you on it!).
But do £2k per year for 40 years, even with 100% employer match and you're still going to fall short of a pension income needed for retirement.
Very short sighted, as we'll discover.
But do £2k per year for 40 years, even with 100% employer match and you're still going to fall short of a pension income needed for retirement.
Very short sighted, as we'll discover.
November 27, 2025 at 10:06 AM
It's another nudge that £2000pa is a good amount to put in a pension (put in any more and we'll tax you on it!).
But do £2k per year for 40 years, even with 100% employer match and you're still going to fall short of a pension income needed for retirement.
Very short sighted, as we'll discover.
But do £2k per year for 40 years, even with 100% employer match and you're still going to fall short of a pension income needed for retirement.
Very short sighted, as we'll discover.
You can see from the chart - anywhere where the change is 0% doesn't breach the limit; it's the same pre- and post-budget.
I agree that it's not necessarily likely a lower earner will be contributing that much, but that doesn't mean it's right to have a system that's balanced against them.
I agree that it's not necessarily likely a lower earner will be contributing that much, but that doesn't mean it's right to have a system that's balanced against them.
November 27, 2025 at 10:06 AM
You can see from the chart - anywhere where the change is 0% doesn't breach the limit; it's the same pre- and post-budget.
I agree that it's not necessarily likely a lower earner will be contributing that much, but that doesn't mean it's right to have a system that's balanced against them.
I agree that it's not necessarily likely a lower earner will be contributing that much, but that doesn't mean it's right to have a system that's balanced against them.
Agree, but that makes it all the more weird to use NI via reduction on salary sacrifice.
It makes it more difficult for people for whom it's already difficult, and less difficult for those for whom it's easier.
Should have just reduced the generosity of the current 40% gross-up for higher rate.
It makes it more difficult for people for whom it's already difficult, and less difficult for those for whom it's easier.
Should have just reduced the generosity of the current 40% gross-up for higher rate.
November 27, 2025 at 9:18 AM
Agree, but that makes it all the more weird to use NI via reduction on salary sacrifice.
It makes it more difficult for people for whom it's already difficult, and less difficult for those for whom it's easier.
Should have just reduced the generosity of the current 40% gross-up for higher rate.
It makes it more difficult for people for whom it's already difficult, and less difficult for those for whom it's easier.
Should have just reduced the generosity of the current 40% gross-up for higher rate.
There's some talk around this being a budget that hits the wealthy but that feels like very successful positioning.
I've taken a little look at the salary sacrifice and it definitely hits lower and middle earners harder than higher earners.
I've taken a little look at the salary sacrifice and it definitely hits lower and middle earners harder than higher earners.
A little bit of analysis I've done shows that the salary sacrifice changes in the budget today fall most heavily in those between 20-60k, and much less on those above, both in absolute and % terms.
This is because NI falls to 2% above ~50k so the impact of the additional NI to pay is much smaller
This is because NI falls to 2% above ~50k so the impact of the additional NI to pay is much smaller
November 27, 2025 at 8:35 AM
There's some talk around this being a budget that hits the wealthy but that feels like very successful positioning.
I've taken a little look at the salary sacrifice and it definitely hits lower and middle earners harder than higher earners.
I've taken a little look at the salary sacrifice and it definitely hits lower and middle earners harder than higher earners.
Had a little look at the impact of the salary sacrifice changes, and unsurprisingly that falls most heavily on low and middle incomes, and less on the very wealthy.
A little bit of analysis I've done shows that the salary sacrifice changes in the budget today fall most heavily in those between 20-60k, and much less on those above, both in absolute and % terms.
This is because NI falls to 2% above ~50k so the impact of the additional NI to pay is much smaller
This is because NI falls to 2% above ~50k so the impact of the additional NI to pay is much smaller
November 27, 2025 at 8:18 AM
Had a little look at the impact of the salary sacrifice changes, and unsurprisingly that falls most heavily on low and middle incomes, and less on the very wealthy.
The table above shows the additional employee NI to be paid (as a % of annual salary) based on salary and pension contribution level.
As an example, someone earning £40k and contributing 8% will pay an extra 0.28% of salary (£112) while someone on £65k will pay just 0.11% extra (£72).
As an example, someone earning £40k and contributing 8% will pay an extra 0.28% of salary (£112) while someone on £65k will pay just 0.11% extra (£72).
November 26, 2025 at 10:40 PM
The table above shows the additional employee NI to be paid (as a % of annual salary) based on salary and pension contribution level.
As an example, someone earning £40k and contributing 8% will pay an extra 0.28% of salary (£112) while someone on £65k will pay just 0.11% extra (£72).
As an example, someone earning £40k and contributing 8% will pay an extra 0.28% of salary (£112) while someone on £65k will pay just 0.11% extra (£72).
I weirdly want my IT to go up, but I'm annoyed about the EV charge.
I know the money goes to the same big pot, but being assessed based on my car rather than my income feels odd.
Multiply this "but why me?" feeling across the whole smorgasbord and we'll see how badly this budget will go down.
I know the money goes to the same big pot, but being assessed based on my car rather than my income feels odd.
Multiply this "but why me?" feeling across the whole smorgasbord and we'll see how badly this budget will go down.
November 26, 2025 at 3:32 PM
I weirdly want my IT to go up, but I'm annoyed about the EV charge.
I know the money goes to the same big pot, but being assessed based on my car rather than my income feels odd.
Multiply this "but why me?" feeling across the whole smorgasbord and we'll see how badly this budget will go down.
I know the money goes to the same big pot, but being assessed based on my car rather than my income feels odd.
Multiply this "but why me?" feeling across the whole smorgasbord and we'll see how badly this budget will go down.
Although walking the entire distance of the map to discover that on the other side of the newly unlocked ice door was an impassable plasma door is a frustration that has lived with me ever since.
Especially when I forgot later and did it again.
Especially when I forgot later and did it again.
November 25, 2025 at 9:03 PM
Although walking the entire distance of the map to discover that on the other side of the newly unlocked ice door was an impassable plasma door is a frustration that has lived with me ever since.
Especially when I forgot later and did it again.
Especially when I forgot later and did it again.
Third rock from the sun, maybe.
Bit harsh, but the first few series have some of the best bits of comedy writing and acting, but I rewatched a few years back and gave up around the beginning of series 5.
I suspect it doesn't get better after that.
Bit harsh, but the first few series have some of the best bits of comedy writing and acting, but I rewatched a few years back and gave up around the beginning of series 5.
I suspect it doesn't get better after that.
November 25, 2025 at 3:00 PM
Third rock from the sun, maybe.
Bit harsh, but the first few series have some of the best bits of comedy writing and acting, but I rewatched a few years back and gave up around the beginning of series 5.
I suspect it doesn't get better after that.
Bit harsh, but the first few series have some of the best bits of comedy writing and acting, but I rewatched a few years back and gave up around the beginning of series 5.
I suspect it doesn't get better after that.
Lost.
The first series was pretty well crafted survival adventure.
The last series was not.
The first series was pretty well crafted survival adventure.
The last series was not.
November 25, 2025 at 2:54 PM
Lost.
The first series was pretty well crafted survival adventure.
The last series was not.
The first series was pretty well crafted survival adventure.
The last series was not.
The ones you uploaded? If so, you can just ask it to download all data and it will send you a neat little zip.
Don't think it includes photos others uploaded that you're tagged in, though.
Don't think it includes photos others uploaded that you're tagged in, though.
November 24, 2025 at 5:57 PM
The ones you uploaded? If so, you can just ask it to download all data and it will send you a neat little zip.
Don't think it includes photos others uploaded that you're tagged in, though.
Don't think it includes photos others uploaded that you're tagged in, though.
The place I really want to invest is my workplace pension (an immediate 20% return is hard to beat!), but if rumours are right, the government isn't keen on encouraging that either!
November 24, 2025 at 4:20 PM
The place I really want to invest is my workplace pension (an immediate 20% return is hard to beat!), but if rumours are right, the government isn't keen on encouraging that either!
Can you point me to a good source for getting my head around this?
I've always been (perhaps naively?) in the "paying subsidies and allowing profits will be worse for the end user than not doing that" camp.
But I'd love to see a good analysis that challenges this.
I've always been (perhaps naively?) in the "paying subsidies and allowing profits will be worse for the end user than not doing that" camp.
But I'd love to see a good analysis that challenges this.
November 23, 2025 at 1:57 PM
Can you point me to a good source for getting my head around this?
I've always been (perhaps naively?) in the "paying subsidies and allowing profits will be worse for the end user than not doing that" camp.
But I'd love to see a good analysis that challenges this.
I've always been (perhaps naively?) in the "paying subsidies and allowing profits will be worse for the end user than not doing that" camp.
But I'd love to see a good analysis that challenges this.
I'm probably guilty of this one too, but from now on not a mention of "pack animal" will pass in conversation without me piping up "ehem, do you mean social predator?".
Thank you for making me just that little bit less agreeable to be around.
Thank you for making me just that little bit less agreeable to be around.
November 22, 2025 at 10:01 AM
I'm probably guilty of this one too, but from now on not a mention of "pack animal" will pass in conversation without me piping up "ehem, do you mean social predator?".
Thank you for making me just that little bit less agreeable to be around.
Thank you for making me just that little bit less agreeable to be around.
There's also this fantastic idea that he thinks that government is somehow a different beast from other complex workplaces.
Good governance is good governance, and good people management is always essential.
You don't get a pass on being awful just because your ego thinks you're very important.
Good governance is good governance, and good people management is always essential.
You don't get a pass on being awful just because your ego thinks you're very important.
November 21, 2025 at 12:05 PM
There's also this fantastic idea that he thinks that government is somehow a different beast from other complex workplaces.
Good governance is good governance, and good people management is always essential.
You don't get a pass on being awful just because your ego thinks you're very important.
Good governance is good governance, and good people management is always essential.
You don't get a pass on being awful just because your ego thinks you're very important.
Well it's lovely to know that now absolutely everything will be seen through the prism of small boats.
Well done everyone for blowing a moderate property issue into one that occupies prime position in the national psyche.
Well done everyone for blowing a moderate property issue into one that occupies prime position in the national psyche.
November 20, 2025 at 7:52 AM
Well it's lovely to know that now absolutely everything will be seen through the prism of small boats.
Well done everyone for blowing a moderate property issue into one that occupies prime position in the national psyche.
Well done everyone for blowing a moderate property issue into one that occupies prime position in the national psyche.
I've just discovered this recipe has the best correction note I've ever seen in a BBC recipe.
November 19, 2025 at 10:26 PM
I've just discovered this recipe has the best correction note I've ever seen in a BBC recipe.
You're right, I'm unfairly besmirching it without trying it. There's something about a litre of vegetable oil in the centre of the table that's mildly disconcerting. But I shall endeavour to make it at some point.
November 19, 2025 at 10:23 PM
You're right, I'm unfairly besmirching it without trying it. There's something about a litre of vegetable oil in the centre of the table that's mildly disconcerting. But I shall endeavour to make it at some point.
