As governments debate what to about the current economic crisis, this film explores the day-to-day reality for those workers living on a financial knife-edge. For most people, work seems the most likely route out of poverty and exclusion. But for over five million people in the UK who prefer to work than claim benefits, and who do not have any dependent children, there continues to be the risk of poverty and social exclusion.
This sensitive film dispels myths by following academically high-achieving but debt-trapped Adele; diabetic Peter close to retirement; and Jean-Louis, who, working two cleaning jobs to afford food, has little time to actually eat. Following much research these three were selected for being representative of the wider demographic of five million low-income workers (16% of the total UK workforce). Each is a very different character, but all have one thing in common: they are more than willing to work, but wonder whether they are stuck in a spiral of disadvantage.