I'm not quite sure that it's a good idea to rule out the long list of cartoon comedies and sitcoms that are built around working class life, if you're actually trying to look at what TV says about working class life. I mean, yes, the Simpsons has the eternal reset, and a lot of unrealistic bits, but it also has a lot of plotlines built around realistic problems of lower class people. So do some sci-fi shows, such as Dark Angel. Then there are the shows like Smallville that are about characters who ought to be working class in a small town (farmers, etc), yet don't really portray it realistically at all, despite occasional offhand references to financial problems.
Queer As Folk (US, I haven't seen UK version) has a lot of working class characters and plotlines, and deals with them well, even though it's mainly focused on the gay.