"The Becontree estate, in the London borough of Barking and Dagenham, has a population of 100,000 and is the largest public housing development in the world. Between 1921 and 1932, 27,000 houses were built here as homes for heroes after the first world war, and to rehouse the residents of London's East End slums. For the first time, they had running water, indoor toilets and private gardens, but its residents were still poor enough to earn the estate the nickname Corned Beef City (because it was thought to be all they could afford to eat)."
Other articles mention strict rent requirements. Any missed payment, and your family was tossed out on the lawn to let someone else move in.
The song appears to be a man trying to keep his family housed in this area by doing any odd jobs (legal or otherwise) to make the rent.
Guardian article on Corned Beef City - https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2009/oct/09/bartons-britain-becontree-estate
"The Becontree estate, in the London borough of Barking and Dagenham, has a population of 100,000 and is the largest public housing development in the world. Between 1921 and 1932, 27,000 houses were built here as homes for heroes after the first world war, and to rehouse the residents of London's East End slums. For the first time, they had running water, indoor toilets and private gardens, but its residents were still poor enough to earn the estate the nickname Corned Beef City (because it was thought to be all they could afford to eat)."
Other articles mention strict rent requirements. Any missed payment, and your family was tossed out on the lawn to let someone else move in.
The song appears to be a man trying to keep his family housed in this area by doing any odd jobs (legal or otherwise) to make the rent.