Win has lived downstairs for seventeen years. She caught polio when she was nine. She has recently married Pete who has a very rare and incurable disease called neuropathy. The social services, on which they both depend, refused to believe Pete at first since his disease is not obviously classifiable as disabling, he had a terrible battle to get his entitlements. In fact if he hadn't had a leg amputated and if Win hadn't been so strong, he'd still be classified as 'mobile.'

Andrew and Cathy are going to have to move soon because the flat they live in has been sold to the developers. Andrew is a painter and Cathy a psychiatric nurse. They would like to stay in the area but don't think they will be able to afford to.