Do you give to people begging in town ?

crazyH

Due to the Welfare State , there’s no need for anyone to be “poor” in this country, or homeless, for that matter...

I'm sorry crazyH I'm not sure what planet you are living on but it is not the UK in 2021.

MerylStreep

Urmstongran
There are a lot of people who are homeless but still working.
The woman grannyactivist mentioned had the job before she was made homeless. The company need not know.
At the very least the woman will be able to get her clothes washed and she could probably get a shower ?

Presumably, depending on what kind of care she provides, she might get sleeping shifts at night too - even waking she could have a shower, wash clothes, have a nap - where she was working. It is despicable how little care workers get paid (and unpaid carers too) no one ca live off fresh air.

grannyactivist

MerylStreep is quite right UG - a good number of the people I’ve worked have jobs that pre-date their homelessness.

A ‘typical’ (if there could be said to be such a thing) scenario could be as follows:

A man or woman in their forties gets a flat through a private rental 20 years ago. The month’s deposit, at the time, was £350. The person is in a low paid job and lives hand to mouth and therefore has no savings. After 20 years the landlord has increased the rent and it is now £650 a month. The renter has never defaulted on a rent payment, but the owner has decided to sell the property and gives the tenant one month’s notice. There is a shortage of rental properties in the town and even if one could be found landlords require one month’s deposit plus a month’s rent in advance. It takes several weeks for the original deposit to be returned and in the meantime our person does not have even the £300 difference between the costs of the old deposit and the new - hence s/he becomes homeless.

In fact lodgings in my town are in the region of £500 just for a room and most people in low paid work can only afford up to £400. Lodgings are slightly cheaper in the nearby city, but bus fares are more than £10 a day, so it’s not a workable solution for the staff of nursing homes, care workers, bar staff and hotel workers.

Unless there is a ‘priority’ need no-one can simply get social housing just because they’re homeless and Callistemon is right in saying that providing temporary housing in a B&B is often a very poor substitute for a home. Some B&B providers stipulate that rooms must be vacated during the day.

crazyH this post from grannyactivist is just one example of how people are failed by our current 'welfare state'

do you know how much they charge people with learning disabilities for a room in a shared house? without care?

but they don't exploit them, oh no

I stop and chat and often ask if they would like a coffee or anything rather than give money.And I'm a huge sucker for dogs and as there are a couple who genuinely look needy near our local Pets at home sometimes buy some pet food or a treat. I once bought a collar for chap who said he was very worried because his dog had lost his.Another time I asked what the dog was called and later realised I never asked the owners name. Next time I saw him I apologised and we chatted a few times after that.

I never give anything, you don't know if they are genuinely homeless or in need. I have found some of the beggars hanging around supermarkets to be quite aggressive and intimidating so I just walk past them.

No, too many professional beggars and gangs, in Derby city centre it was made an offence to beg but they put points around the city where you could donate money which was given to homeless charities

Thats' ALL Romanian people duly insulted then..

Yes I do to the ones I believe are genuine. I also give dog food for there dogs and cloths, I share clothes between giving to charities and giving to homeless.

No I don’t. I give to homeless charity.
I read somewhere by the council. not to give as you could be giving to buy drugs/drink etc.
Also, some people make a lot of money from begging.

I have offered drinks and sandwiches, but response has been negative and abusive, I donate instead to local homeless charity, and inform them of where I last saw begger, they have outreach team,

Not all Romanians insulted. My Romanian friend is outraged at the bad name these organised begging gangs give to the many hard working Romanians here.

No...we have an issue in our town, but also plenty of accommodation/ hostels etc for a small town , we are asked not to give to beggars but donate to a cause or give to food banks or the local kitchen where anyone on the streets can get a meal.

I used to work in the city centre and would see a homeless guy quite a lot - people would give him money or buy him food/coffee etc. he had a scruffy little dog with him. he was always a mess but never dirty. Lots of us would give him money a couple of times a week and then one of my colleagues (who lived in Manchester) saw him on the train home, chatting on his mobile, saying "it's been a good day" and that he'd pick up a takeaway on the way home. So, begging was obviously a job for him. None of us ever gave him money again. These days we donate to a local homeless shelter instead.

I think anyone who sits on a wet pavement being rained on must be desperate whether they are in a gang or not. Having said that whenever I go into Glasgow for lunch with a friend I pop into M&S in the station and buy lunch. A sandwich a dessert and a drink. I give it to the first beggar I see. It’s a secret though. You are the first people I’ve told!! It eases my guilty feelings a bit. I know I’m very lucky. To be homeless even if you are a gang member must be absolutely hellish.

No. Too many scammers and drug abusers....would be happy to buy them food....but how many really want that? Most want cash for drugs and booze. It breaks my heart to see young homeless from broken and deprived homes...but they should receive support from the state.....

I don’t tend to give them money but always offer to buy them food; most accept gratefully.

In my town we had a man looked Romany or something like that. He sat with his begging bowl and some ppl give some don’t. Only it turned out he was getting a taxi from a different town getting changed in park. Then walking into town centre to beg. He wasn’t a beggar or even homeless. Him his cousin and they wife’s were doing in different towns to get money and made thousands from it. I used to give food until I was giving a load of abuse to others so I stopped now I do what most do and walk right past. Most only want money for drugs or drink. If you give them your feeding their habits.

My sister used to work as a bank cashier, and she said that beggars used to come in several times a day with their takings, and they seemed to get more money than she earned. I don't give anything unless they are playing a musical instrument beautifully.

I never give money but will buy the occasional cup of coffee for them. There is one who has a dog and if I am passing Wilco I pop in and get the dog a few treats.

Since lockdown I haven’t carried any cash on me, so if asked will say sorry no cash. I know some local takeaway coffee vans or cafes do let people buy a coffee to be given to a homeless person which is probably the best option if you feel the need to do something. Since a friend years ago bought food and a drink for a homeless person and was told they wanted money instead I’m afraid I won’t make the same mistake.
I do feel sorry for the street dwellers and do wonder how they cope now loose change is not readily available. Hopefully the Homeless Charities are looking after people and making sure they don’t go hungry, so really I feel it’s better to donate to a charity rather than fund drugs or drink.

No, I never do. My husband was a local Cllr and took a big interest in getting people off the streets. 2 brothers that beg on a shopping centre locally have been offered, rooms, flats and houses and always turn them down, they prefer to beg, living in tents, sometimes even pitching them in their mother’s garden. They don’t want to get a job either, tho that’s not what they tell people who ask why they don’t get a job? They say they can’t get work because they’ve not got a permanent address, which as I said, is not true, my husband said they prefer to live off charity and free meals supplied by local charities on a nightly basis. They don’t want food either, I’ve seen them take a bite out of a burger someone has bought them then as soon as they’ve walked away it gets thrown. Others are drug addicts who also go to the charities on a nightly basis for food but as soon as they get enough cash for a fix are off to their dealer! I could write a book on some of these people, if you want to give them your money you are better buying a cuppa and a sandwich! I know my husband was also a soft touch for these people, always giving money away we could ill afford, I’ve worked all my life and after my 1st husband walked out leaving me with 2 small children I had to work to keep them. I got nothing from him and don’t see why they can’t do the same to keep themselves. There will be some who are veterans who deserve our charity but the ones I mention here are all probably under 40 and have never worked.

Granny activist thank you so much for putting this into context for everyone. I was reading through the thread wondering what had happened to humanity. There will always be fraudsters and cheats but people in despair are as plain as the nose on your face. I don’t think anyone should judge too quickly.

If I see a person playing a musical instrument I do pop something in the instrument case. Often people are playing to raise money for charity which is fine by me. There are some talented 'buskers' around.

I buy a big issue from a young lady when I see her and my husband and I always smile and often stop to ask her how she is.