Why doesn't EE Bianca ever seem to know about or claim any benefits?

[YouOldTinsellySlag]

I mean she went to prison for stealing after being too poor to give the kids more than one fishfinger each, and couldn't make the rent or buy food.

This time round she is spending all day working for Tanya for tips only, just so she can save for a Christmas Tree which must cost less than £20. Is this Victorian times? Will she be giving her kids roast budgie on Christmas Day because she messed up Denise's fringe or some such?

Surely she could be claiming tax credits, income support, child benefit and Housing Benefit instead of working all day for a possible fiver off a grateful customer?

Why can't the writer's get these basics right? it's 2012, not 1812.

[YouOldTinsellySlag]

Is it just me? (lonely)

[goralka]

you want verisimilitude?
EE is not good at that - why let reality get in the way of a good storyline?
What bugs me is the demographic.

[SPsFanjoIsSantasLittleHoHoHo]

If benefits were used they wouldn't have a story line

It's the same with the kids. When Kat was saying Tommy wouldn't sleep, you never saw or heard him!

[YouOldTinsellySlag]

goralka- I know, I mean they're thinking of giving ex con Phil a baby when they haven't even done a paternity test to check he's related. That's before you get to the old crack habit, alcoholism, son who's banged up for manslaughter....

Yeah, I have to suspend my disbelief A LOT.

it just really pisses me off that they depict a Mum living hand to mouth on tips only when it is very, very well known that we have a welfare state.

[YouOldTinsellySlag]

Also, it's so funny that everyone has to work on the square and nobody has a washing machine.

[SPsFanjoIsSantasLittleHoHoHo]

Or when they try ring each other and the can't get through ans leave voicemails instead.

Just stand in the square you will find them!

[YouOldTinsellySlag]

SPsFanjo, but they are always looking for each other too, aren't they? Have you seen Phil? Have you seen Derek? Have you seen Bianca? etc

There was a funny sketch on TV a few years back where they did an episode consisting of everyone just looking for each other. Still makes me laugh.

[Sabriel]

Didn't they discuss Housing Benefit before she disappeared off this last time, and said they can't claim it because they aren't actually paying rent/ full market rent? It was Pat's house - who did she leave it to?

Plus although Rickaay has disappeared aren't they still married?

[YouOldTinsellySlag]

Sabriel you might be right there. However she can still get enough benefits to buy more than one fishfinger each!

[YouOldTinsellySlag]

Hang on, I think Janine wouldn't write to the Housing Benefit people or something so she couldn't claim it.

[Bakingnovice]

It's silly isn't it? Like tommy/ bobby/Oscar never being around. Like everyone who is working is working on the square. Like Kat and Alfie always complaining about cash but managing to close early, run off on h

[Bakingnovice]

Oops sent too soon!

Kat going off on holiday. Like Tanya running a salon but always being at home. Like max working in the car lot but always seeming to be at home/pub/ square. The bianca thing is badly written. She would have benefits in real life and surely carol can also help?

[YouOldTinsellySlag]

And the fact that Pat's house has only three bedrooms yet at one point Carol, Bianca, Morgan, Liam, and Tiffany, and Derek all lived there. It must be like a refugee camp up there!

[cbeebiesatemybrain]

I remember a similar discussion about Heather working 3 jobs and still not being able to afford even the basics for herself and George. Eastenders is not exactly well known for its realism!

[YouOldTinsellySlag]

Yes good point. According to EE writers, single mothers have to have 3 jobs, can't get childcare, Tax credits haven't been invented, can't get housing benefit, and the welfare state has not yet been rolled out to E20.

[FivesGoldNorks]

Phil's going to become a dad? Is this the same Phil that was in it when I used to watch about 20y ago? Isn't he a bit past all that?

[YouOldTinsellySlag]

No, he was going to be a foster Dad to his jailbird son's daughter. It's a long story if you haven't watched for 20 years.

[FivesGoldNorks]

:o
Who's his son? Just wondering if I'd recofgnise the name? Who's the mother?

[YouOldTinsellySlag]

Ben
Kathy

[FivesGoldNorks]

Oh yes I remember little Ben. :(
Thanks

[MisselthwaiteManor]

I was thinking exactly the same thing the other night. She could at least sign on to jobseekers couldn't she? I don't think anyone on EE has ever been on the dole.

[YouOldTinsellySlag]

It's a real faux pas on the writers' part. They are not representing real life if they are writing about a life where benefits don't exist. Disclaimer- I know soaps aren't supposed to be that realistic, but come on!

It annoys me because surely before Bianca was released she would have some sort of welfare advice beforehand?

[Blondeshavemorefun]

I thought about jsa

They all find work in the square and all shop at the minimarket which is prob 3 times the price of sains or tesco

No one seems to be beauty trained but all work in the saloon

Let alone phil a well known criminal having care of lexie

[LadyIsabellasHollyWreath]

There was a brilliant Alastair McGowan sketch a while ago in which an Eastenders character gets a job in Central London. Cue all the others commiserating him on leaving The Square, while he tried to explain to them the concept of "com-mu-ting".

[HipposGoBerserk]

It's because the scriptwriters live in large houses in north London and have no bloody idea. They don't need to be realistic, if the pay cheques come in anyway.