Credit Where Credit's Due

Shelley has bills that no honest man can pay. Let down by a prospective job with the Foreign Office, he nips down to the local social security office to see if they can help out.

Unfortunately for Shelley. The clerk tells him that they are not the Salvation Army or a bank. In fact the clerk discovers that Shelley has been overpaid, so he will be facing a cut in his benefit payments.

Shelley has no option but to go and see his local friendly bank manager. Lamentably it is the bank that likes to say no.

The episode captures the essence of the poverty stricken early 1980s Britain. The social security clerk deals with Shelley for the first time but has heard of his reputation.

There is plenty of dry wit and cynicism in this one. This was the sole contribution from writer Bernard McKenna.