How Britain works, and where it doesn’t
Britain’s problems get argued about one at a time: housing one week, tax the next – but they’re all parts of the same machine. This is one engineer’s attempt to work out how it fits together, where it’s failing, and what might actually fix it.
Models
Interactive model
What’s Left
One salary used to be enough to raise a family. Not any more.
Pick a job and a year of birth, and see how much a working life leaves you once tax, housing and essentials are paid.
Left to spend over a lifetime, an accountant’s family on one income, 2025 prices
Next model: Rent vs Buy. What’s right for you?
Articles
Essay
How Britain failed the working young
Imagine a bright, hardworking young adult standing in front of you, asking what Britain can offer them. For most people born since 1965 the honest answer is less, because housing, tax and student loans have all outrun pay.
Essay
Tax Twinning
Last year McDonald’s paid £12.4m less UK corporation tax than Greggs, despite making an estimated £540m more profit from UK customers. Five British firms, twinned with their multinational rivals.
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