Coronation Street

Yes, there is a stereotype about a homeless person and the message here is it could happen to the person you least expect.

That said though - can’t Sean claim benefits? If he doesn’t have a steady job he should qualify for Jobseekers Allowance/Universal Credit and/or Housing Benefit. I’m not up to date with Corrie so apologies if this has been covered in the storyline.

Part of the storyline seems to be he's too proud/afraid to reach out and tell his friends and (former) colleagues what situation he's in, so I could imagine he may feel the same about claiming benefits too.

When the alternative is sleeping on the streets, it’s time to swallow your pride as far as benefits are concerned.

I’m the first person to berate “dole-bludgers” who would rather claim benefits than earn an honest living. But I’m also the first person to tell someone to claim every penny they are entitled to. The welfare system exists for a reason.

There's quite a few documentaries on the 'Hidden Homeless' - just because someone's working, doesn't mean they can't be homeless. And plus to get access to those services they would need an address, which can be difficult if some have to couch surf.

Yeah as posted above, to claim benefits you need an address, which currently he doesn't have.

No you don't, you just need a correspondence address, that's all, and it can even be the Jobcentre. There are plenty of homeless people on benefits.


The story about Sean is rather unbelievable. I can understand them trying to portray someone who is too ashamed to tell their friends about their situation. However, he has started begging, and didn't have the foresight to do it in an area he was unlikely to be seen.

The Cities of Manchester & Salford are very large conurbations, so why would you sit outside the local hospital? Surely begging for money is more damaging to his pride than walking into a Jobcentre and claiming benefits?

At least he hasn't started selling his body on Canal Street (yet), but they've already played a similar 'moral high ground card' on that subject with Sarah's sister daughter.

Does anyone take a moment to consider how the editing in 1989-October 1990 Corrie was all over the place?

I remember one episode from October '89 that had the 35mm filmed 1976-90 title sequence abruptly cut into the videotaped episode, without any fade transitions at all. Unlike on many late '89 and pre October 1990 episodes which have about 15 seconds of the 35mm sequence, then fade into the videotaped footage of the episodes, with the 'CORONATION STREET' logo fading in soon afterwards, wonder if that was part of the reason why the title sequence was revamped twenty-one months after Granada switched to shooting on-location footage on videotape.

Back to the present day and maybe a storyline about in work poverty would have resonated more, if done with the right characters. Fiz and Ty finding themselves going to food banks and being ashamed of it might be more believable, and viewers would certainly have more sympathy for them.

I agree, Brekkie, but this is yet another example of my previous comment about the writers wrapping a story around an inappropriate character.


Sean was a BAD choice for this story arc. It doesn't resonate with me. The character is a 'filler' at the best of times, rather like Dev and Sally's previously unmentioned 'Sister from the loony bin'. We already have a loveable nutter in Mary

I seem to remember they touched on this storyline with Anna going to food banks.

EastEnders did a poverty storyline under Sean O'Connor where Denise was going to a food bank.