Benefits Street

rdf:langString Benefits Street

rdf:langString Episode 3 focuses on the children of the families on James Turner Street. The episode deals with Sam, whose son has been taken away from her because of her addiction to heroin. The programme also features Mark and Becky, a young couple struggling to raise their two young children. Children are seen swearing and misbehaving, while White Dee reprimands her son for losing his bicycle.

rdf:langString The fourth episode deals with ambition. White Dee's 15-year-old daughter wishes to follow a career as a gym instructor and undertakes work experience at a leisure centre. SB, an aspiring model who left her abusive partner, has her children schooled at home, and finds work in a local takeaway. Fungi, whose electricity has been cut off, and has no contact with his children, experiences personal disappointment when a planned meeting with his son is cancelled by the boy's adoptive parents.

rdf:langString The final episode of the series sees the breakdown of the relationship between Hannah and her Zimbabwean partner, Simba, who she leaves after he loses his benefits because he failed to renew his visa and starts drinking excessively. She is rehoused by the local authority, while he is left without an income because of his lapsed immigration status. Fungi goes for hospital tests after discovering a lump on his chest. He is relieved to learn it is not cancerous, but is told it is being aggravated by his lifestyle of drink and drugs. Information technology worker Ewan takes part in a cleanup initiative as the street prepares to enter a Britain in Bloom contest.

rdf:langString The second episode of Benefits Street focuses on immigration. A group of Romanians arrive in the street and start a metal-collecting business, but this leads to tension with other residents when the newcomers search through their household rubbish looking for recyclable material. The group is forced to move on when their electricity supply is cut off, but another group from Romania soon arrives. Promised work on a farm, they quickly discover that their gangmaster has not told them the truth about their working conditions.

rdf:langString An hour-long debate presented by Richard Bacon in which guests discuss issues raised by the series.

rdf:langString Love Productions, Rebel Uncut

rdf:langString Matthew Cracknell

rdf:langString United Kingdom

rdf:langString English

rdf:langString Birmingham

rdf:langString Stockton-on-Tees

rdf:langString HDTV

rdf:langString Episode 2

rdf:langString Episode 3

rdf:langString Episode 4

rdf:langString Episode 5

rdf:langString Benefits Britain: The Debate

rdf:langString Benefits Street

rdf:langString Benefits Street is a British documentary series broadcast on Channel 4. It was first aired on 6 January 2014, and ran for five episodes. The show was filmed by documenting the lives of several residents of James Turner Street, Winson Green, Birmingham, England, United Kingdom, where newspapers reported that 90% of the residents claim benefits. It shows benefits claimants committing crimes, including a demonstration of how to shoplift, and portrays a situation in which people are dependent on welfare payments and lack the motivation to seek reliable employment. The show was controversial, with the police, Channel 4 and the media regulator Ofcom receiving hundreds of complaints. There were Twitter death threats made against the residents of the street. Channel 4 was accused of making poverty porn. Many of those taking part claimed that they were misled by the documentary makers. Ofcom launched an investigation into whether the programme had breached the broadcasting regulations, but ultimately concluded its rules had not been broken. The producers of Benefits Street defended the series, arguing that the reaction to it demonstrated the importance of making such a documentary. The series was mentioned in the House of Commons, and prompted some political debate on the topic of welfare. A number of programmes were commissioned by other channels covering the same topic, while Channel 4 commissioned a follow up series provisionally titled Immigration Street that would follow the lives of immigrants living in the United Kingdom. Benefits Street gave Channel 4 their highest viewing figures for any show since 2012. In August 2014, Love Productions confirmed the second series of Benefits Street was being filmed in Kingston Road, Stockton-on-Tees, England, United Kingdom. Series two aired from 11 May 2015 for four episodes.

rdf:langString na