Still need to play for 80 minutes. I'd hate to see what our final quarter stats are this season.

Not sure how to take this. I assume that both parties agree a cost before work is instigated. Surely you are beholden to invoice for work completed.

Have these charts been updated? It would be good to see them now we have passed the Easter effect.

I would have two concerns. The first is business travel, this is one of the easiest business expenditures that can be cut quickly when belts are tightened. The second is tourism, which relies more on sentiment, where the negativity on travel to the US can be self-prophesying.

Probably the best view is to look at year to date data rather than individual months, particularly March and April, as this removes the Easter holiday factor. Easter was in March in 2024 and was in April in 2025.

I have pretty much followed that advice since my DB pension scheme closed 15 years ago and I was moved to DC. Re increasing contributions little by little, in 15 years I’ve gone from 18%, with my 9% matching my employer’s maximum 9%, up to 35% with a percent added each year and then for the NI cut.

Plus I expect that in relative terms the amount paid is higher now v the 1980s (I’m assuming this based on the triple lock increases of recent years). With decreasing birth rate, either it will need to be means tested or the age must rise higher. I suggest means test up to 75 and then for all after.

The FT article mentions the timing of Easter, which will have an influence, however also talks of high levels of cancellations that suggest that there is an underlying issue.

UK which makes up a quarter of all European flights to the US is down by 17%. That reduction in terms of bums on seats, rather than percentage, is far greater than other countries.

I agree, if you read the responses to John’s tweet, they are pretty toxic on the lines of good riddance / so what / that’s what I voted for/ and Europe is an Islamist state!

The incentive to build that legacy is diminished if you know that a considerable slice is going to be nabbed by the taxman come what may.

I’m wondering whether an unintended and potentially unwelcome consequence of the budget to the economy will be more early retirements. At some point you get to a point that you have enough money to survive, and a factor in continued working is to secure a legacy for your children and grandchildren.

Absolutely agree, this side has come a long way in the last year.

Fingers well and truly crossed!

Started at 18% (my 9% matching employers maximum contribution) for first 20 years and then in the last 11 years added 1 % a year. Just seemed to make sense, however it required a sacrifice pension v car lease - I have only had one car over the last dozen years that has finally had to be replaced

@stevewebb1.bsky.social if the TFLS changes do you think that it could be immediate impacting “earned” benefits so reducing the amount I could draw tax free overnight?

I’m following you over here. I loved your Covid analytics and general data presentation; I use your work in explaining to colleagues how to use and present data.