Miss Webb

In February 1975, Stan Ogden felt suddenly dizzy while carrying out his window cleaning round and collapsed in the Street. On doctor's orders he went into hospital where he was tested and diagnosed with otitismedia – disturbed balance.

Unable to work while ill, the Ogdens called in social services to see what benefits Stan was entitled to, Len Fairclough having given him an approximate figure of the sum he might get. Miss Webb called at No. 13 and agreed the basics of Len's figures but when she checked Stan's stamps, she discovered that he'd not paid his National Insurance for the previous six months and was £70 in arrears. Hilda was furious to learn that their benefits would be far less than they imagined at only £7.65 per week and that Stan could be prosecuted for non-payment. Hilda took on a third cleaning job at the Mark Brittain Warehouse and also carried out Stan's window cleaning with Eddie Yeats, newly released from Walton Jail, to help with their finances.