The Boswell family of Liverpool, like many other families in the 80s, are surviving on government handouts but they try and do so with pride. They knew the system inside out and exploited all the loopholes.
The head of the household was Nellie Boswell (Jean Boht), who, as a devout Catholic, demands her family be present at mealtimes. Husband Freddie was a waster who spent most of his time at his allotment.
They had four sons and one badly dressed daughter, Aveline, who wanted to be a model but ended up marrying a vicar.
