Do you give to people begging in town ?

I remember, before Covid, a man who came into the opticians where I waiting to be seen. He was livid as he had just bought a burger and coffee for a man who was sitting outside a shop begging. He got sworn at and the burger and coffee thrown at him.

I frequently got asked for a small amount of money to put towards a train fare or a meal. One day a lad asked me for £4 forwards a sleeping bag.. I asked him to hold on while I phoned my friend (who runs the local soup kitchen) and I'll get him a sleeping bag from the donations we had in the day before and some toiletries. He was gone faster than a rattle snake!!!
I tend to reply with "I don't carry cash, sorry" to one of the 14 beggars we have in the High Street and the 6 outside other shops locally..

If they are buskers, I always throw in money, I give £1.00 to the Big Issue lady, at my local supermarket, but I don't take the magazine, as I think they have to give a percentage back to the suppliers for each one sold. If the beggar has a dog, I give a tray of easy-open dog food. So my basic outlay would be just £1.00 in any of these situations.

I don't give to them.

Firstly, because I simply don't have any spare money to give - and I'm almost entirely card-based now, so rarely have cash, anyway.

Secondly, a friend of mine did once give to a young woman in the city centre, but every time they were in that same area, she'd come specifically at him, expecting more.

Thirdly, I know that there is ample provision for them, through various council and charity schemes and I believe there are local rules about begging.

My advice to anyone wanting to give, is give food or a hot drink.
I saw people begging on the streets of Edinburgh in the morning then in the late afternoon I saw the same ones sharing out their money with others, it looked like a gang. Also one man looked severely physically disabled and sitting in a corner of a shop doorway then later on saw him walking amongst the gang engaging with them nothing wrong with him laughing and joking. An absolute disgrace. So no I do not give money to beggars.

after publicity about beggars its very difficult to know who are genuine and who are not, I do know there are certain groups, mainly Romanian, who are organised beggars, they do have accomodation but , then, there are , I suppose, genuine beggars, I do feel guilty when I just walk past I must admit, as regards buskers,there is talent out there and quite often i will give to them

Loislovesstewie

You don't care if they buy drugs with your donation?

If you give it, you give it - no conditions, no strings. Is anyone policing YOUR spending?

I never give anything. There are systems to aid those in dire need. Most begging is not for food it's money for drugs they are after. Some say if you do give money it helps stop theft. To me it's just aiding a habit.

We have threatening Eastern European beggars around here. I think they are controlled by leaders who drop them off in cars and collect them later in the day. They must be very vulnerable but are also rude and unpleasant. I don’t give to them but get verbally abused just by walking past
I never give money to the drunk, drugged beggars either as I don’t want to feel that I might be responsible for causing their death. They are often very abusive and “ in your face “ . It’s not at all nice but I’m sure that they are really desperate.

Yes, I often do. Not a lot, just £1 or £2. There are so many I could not afford to give more. They are on every town centre street corner. I don't miss it. They may truly need it.

I mainly direct my donations to charitable organisations who help individuals with in our locality. It's difficult not to help others but I'm well aware there are "professional" beggars who are run by gang masters - mainly Eastern European. They don't want food and something hot to drink, they demand cash.

You should never ever give to any of them. Are they really ever thin and hungry looking. Once at Christmas my son gave a beggar his turkey and cranberry sandwich which was thrown back at him. Most only want money for drugs.
I have observed a few over the last few years. I’m currently watching one in my home town. She has heaps of dirty bedding all over the street. But I’ve watched her go to a shop and but cartons of juice and handfuls of scratch cards which I can’t afford to do. Then casually walk to a flat around the corner.
Another if frequently begging outside Tesco saying he his cold and hungry yet when I arrive he’s not outside and he has a cup from Costas. Something else I can’t afford to buy. I’ve also seen vans dropping people off to beg. It’s big and organised in my area. I’m not taken in by these scammers and you you shouldn’t be either.

Can I just say that buskers and street artists aren’t beggars. In our nearest city, nearly all of them are very talented, some could be professional. I actually thought they must audition for the job, but I’ve just checked online and anyone is allowed, as long as they stick to a code of conduct, which includes not blocking entrances, staying longer than 90 minutes in one spot, or using amplifiers. They can put a hat or bowl down for donations, but mustn’t pass it round or have signs asking for money. It all works perfectly. A lot of them are students, and I often do give them something as they add to the atmosphere of the city centre.

And now I’m really yearning for a trip over there..... Maybe it’s time to get that brand new bus pass put to use!

Food & drink YES money NO
If they are abusive then they get neither

Things are a little different where I live.

A lot of those on the streets are selling The Big Issue, so I buy it from them.

Others are quite honest about being down and out and are grateful for any help we offer. I give them the price of a cup of coffee, or a meal or some dog food(most of them have dogs) according to what I can afford at the time.

I have also offered to put them in touch with the Salvation Army, or whoever else runs shelters, Christmas dinner etc. in the area.

I have never been abused for doing so. If that did happen, I would remember the person and ignore him or her the next time I went past them.

I never give money, but offer a hot drink or something to eat. I am very aware of drink/drug users, but Northampton has a brilliant 'club' for users who want to give up, they offer cheap food, help with housing (once some level of recovery) and debt problems etc.
One told me that what was worse was that he was a non-person, people's eyes slid over him. He said it was automatically assumed he was on drink/drugs, but he was trying to go straight. I always talk to street people if I have the time, and at least smile and say 'Good morning' or some such.

I never give to people who are begging, though years ago I did get a couple of sandwiches for a young couple who looked like schoolchildren.

I always buy Big Issue and pay slightly over the cover price. I offer to buy a drink and sandwich of their choice and this has been rarely refused, I always say (truthfully) that I rarely carry cash and pay by card so that negates any questions of cash donations. I give money to a local food bank on direct debit so that they can buy items people dont think to donate and for people with dietary restrictions.

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

I regularly gave to a Bosnian man who had a permanent spot outside Waitrose. He used to tell me about life in his hostel, and was/is (I hope) very popular with local people, always open and very likeable. I haven’t been to town since the beginning of the first lockdown, so I’m hoping that he and his good friends in the hostel have all come through covid unscathed.

I dread to think what his early life in Bosnia might have been like.

Generally I don't but once in another town on a very cold evening I gave A fiver to a young lad who reminded me of my own son, he was so grateful and asked me if I was sure - and he wasn't being sarcastic.

I'm glad you posted that Maggiemaybe I was just about to point that out and add that Big Issue sellers are not beggars either. They are doing a job selling a magazine which earns them their own money. The magazine is really very interesting.

PS. He sold The Big Issue - didn’t beg.

I always buy the guy outside lidl a sandwich won't give money as could be for drugs don't mind giving food

I used to give regularly to a young man sitting with his dog in our local small shopping area, outside M&S food. I always asked if he’d like something to eat and he always said he’d rather have cash as he was trying to get enough together for a night in a hostel. I mentioned the local homeless shelter to him but he said he’d had a bad experience there! I found that hard to believe so started checking him out. Turned out he had a flat locally, the dog was borrowed, a friend dropped him off each day and he was quite comfortably off.
I avoided him after that but really wanted to tell him what I knew.
We also have a couple of ladies in full national dress selling the Big Issue outside the supermarket. I don’t buy that anymore either as the price has rocketed.