when we first met portrait photographer drew back in october, covid restrictions were tightening and his manchester business was struggling. i already cut down on the expenses, i haven't left the house in months, i stopped paying for my office. you know, i've got rid of all of that stuff and it's not enough. today his outlook is much brighter. as entertainment and art venues have reopened his bookings are coming back, but he knows the recovery will take time. what was the longest period of time that you went without any work? about 11 weeks. compared to a regular month i'm still earning around a0 to 50% of what i was doing pre—pandemic. it's building and it's getting there but it's painfully slow. during the pandemic competition forjobs has been fierce. here in hull 20% of people live in workless households. david has two degrees and had applied for more than 100 jobs. you are out of control of your own life by that point