@mjmichaels it sadly hasn't recovered. you're right, did save that tax, but the saving was wiped out.
i do feel though that paying into it gradually over time from early on is the right thing to do.
@newcreation17 except for last year for real, where i paid a chunk in and lost 20 percent of it due to the Tory budget. That really stung me about the whole thing and the risk of one shit government breaking it all.