I just watched episode 15, and this came up as Richard was pondering his imminent early retirement - he said something like "Onslow has been enjoying this for years now" or something similar.
That leads me to believe that they're not just lazy benefit scroungers but he probably had some sort of blue collar job at some point. Makes me feel better about them - esp, since they are really likable (and kinda sweet together!!)
If I remember correctly, Hyacinth was the one to make a remark about Richard not coping with retirement as well as Onslow did. But either way, yes, Onslow obviously had a job at some point. Because there is also an episode, where he says something like "how easily the inconvenience of work comes back to you".
Intelligence and purity.
That might come at a later point - in episode 15, Richard is not in early retirement yet. He's pondering the thought (or rather dreading it :-)
shareOnslow's a bit young for early retirement, although it's possible (but unlikely) he worked in some field with a company pension that kicked in around 55.
It's more likely he was permanently on the dole. It's harder to do nowadays but in the early 90s it was fairly easy to be a dole-scrounger and live off state benefits indefinitely. Jim Royle in 'The Royle Family' is a similar character.
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Daisy and Onslow's life could be that he did work and was either retrenched, invalid out or took an early retirement. They live in Daisy and Rose's family council house which I presume is still in their father's name. Daisy maybe picking up a carer's allowance due to looking after her father who would also be on a pension. Rose on the other hand, doesn't seem to be working so don't know where her income comes from.
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