Phil Bassett (TIMOTHY SPALL) is a pessimistic and depressed cab driver who doesn't make enough money driving passengers to pay off Neville (GARY McDONALD), his stern boss. Phil's attitude is no surprise considering that he lives in a London housing complex with his emotionally distant wife, Penny (LESLEY MANVILLE), nursing home worker daughter, Rachel (ALISON GARLAND), and unemployed, obese and constantly angry and belligerent teenage son, Rory (JAMES CORDEN).
Penny works in the local grocery store with her good friend, Maureen (RUTH SHEEN), a single mom who has to put up with her angry daughter, Donna (HELEN COKER), who's just discovered she's pregnant by her emotionally and physically abusive boyfriend, Jason (DANIEL MAYS).
When those two break up, Donna's promiscuous neighbor, Samantha (SALLY HAWKINS), quickly moves in on Jason. Her father, Ron (PAUL JESSON), works with Phil, while his wife, Carol (MARION BAILEY), is a constantly drunk alcoholic.
As the various family members simply try to get by in their lives and deal with their individual family dynamics, a sudden shocking event has a great impact on some of them and their outlook on life and each other.