Beggars CAN be choosers!

I think if I was living on the streets I would be taking drugs or drinking. It would at least blot out reality.

Not all beggars are homeless and not all homeless beg.

I never give anything to beggars. How will they ever make the effort to improve their lot in life if they rely on people in the street subsidizing them all the time.

Do not donate. My brother lives near Cambridge. apparently there are places were 'beggars' are delivered to their begging spot by a large posh car early in the morning with their bedding and tin etc. and then collected late at night by same posh car. This is a racket.

I stopped and asked a man who was sitting on his sleeping bag on the pavement if there was anything that he needed that I could perhaps get him. I was quite taken aback when he said all he wanted at that time was some one to talk to, someone to call him by his name and acknowledge that he was there. I couldn't sit down on the pavement with him - I would never have got up again - so we adjourned to a nearby bench and we sat and chatted for a good half hour before I had to catch my bus. Sometimes is neither money nor food that are needed. Just acknowledgement of another human being.

Many years ago the Headmaster of a school I worked in commuted daily by train. Outside of the station was a beggar to whom the Head gave money every day. One year the Headteacher went on a cruise, and, yes, you can probably guess where this is going! The beggar was on the same cruise! Obviously a very lucrative pass time!
Always give to Big Issue sellers but don't take the mag. There but for the grace of God. . . . .

Living in London my experience is that people who beg outside food shops are hungry, and those who prefer money sit elsewhere. Pret and many other food outlets give all their left over sandwiches/pastries etc. away to the homeless every evening, and many of those who take this food, take enough for the following day and then beg for money during the day for other things. People are homeless for many reasons so it's wrong to generalise and brand them all as scroungers. Usually, I give only food, but I have given money in the past - it all depends on the circumstances. The big question I ask myself when giving money is whether it will be used to buy food for the children, or put towards buying cigarettes and alcohol. Sure I am definitely being judgemental here, but I can be, can't I? As a tax-payer I am the first person to question why the NHS pays for care for smokers who in the majority of cases bring their illnesses upon themselves (that's a fact by the way not an unfounded assertion) and doesn't fund more than two rounds of IVF (if you're lucky) or gives GPs instructions to dilute the regular hypertension medication of patients all to save money. I really don't want to increase the NHS bill caused by smokers. Incidentally, even in the days when Duty Free existed, I would never respond to requests to bring in cheap tobacco products from smokers. So, yes, I do think it's fair to be judgemental if you do decide to give money to a beggar.

How did the council get away with that ? Here the council is not allowed to name anyone who rents their properties.

I know somebody who goes out begging, who isn't homeless.
That aside, I don't give money anyway, as it's advised that enabling someone doesn't help, long term.

There was an article in our local paper about the homeless in our town with some photos. Then a few days later the Council stated that one of the said 'homeless' was in fact one of their council house tenants, so was far from homeless!

I am not hard hearted but although we do not have anybody begging on street here we have a Big Issue seller who is picked up every evening in a huge gas guzzling 4X4 with 2017 number plate. The man driving seems to have 2 or 3 women in the car & they are all laughing & joking so I do not think they are under any duress.He picks her up well away from town centre where she sits all day so I presume it is so no-one sees her going off in this car. I have started putting money in a charity tun instead of buying her paper now.
It just makes me wary.

As I have said before I always ask what people want before I buy it. Last winter I asked a man what he would like, he said soup - I bought him some soup, a sandwich and a bottle of water. I sat and talked to him whilst he ate - he was a former soldier, unable to find work or accommodation after leaving the army. We talked for so long that it had gotten dark and he insisted on walking me to my car because "there are some unsavoury people around". I looked for him the next time I was in that area but never saw him again.

inishowen, perhaps the family you met just didn't want the children to have sweets, and were too polite to refuse your offer.

I've never heard the word patrony, but get your drift. I used to give because I wanted to help, not because I wanted to feel superior. My DD works with homeless and vulnerable people, and on her advice I now give directly to charities instead.

If you can't give without patrony... don't give at all . Don't most of us give to feel superior...I know I used to. I don't give for that reason now... or hope I don't! There but for circumstance....!?

Surely we only give to beggars to make ourselves feel superior!? I don't give cash but will ask if they would like some food..if so what would they like. These humans have lost all.... surely we can dignify them by ASKING what they would like to eat, not just assuming a cheese sandwich will do. If you can't give without patrony , don't give at all.

Why sit outside of a food shop if you do not want to be given food ? I will not give money to feed an addiction.

Yesterday my husband and I were in a charity shop. A Romanian family came in with two little kids. They didn't speak English. The children pointed to a display of sweets but the parents said no. My husband bought two bags of sweets and asked the dad if the children could have them. The dad was so taken aback and nodded his head. The children were so happy. I know these families are viewed negatively everywhere they go, so this gesture might have made a difference.

I don't give money to beggars anymore after seeing John Bird on TV. I ALWAYS buy the Big Issue now and often pay more than the value of the magazine. I never accept change of a note because I am lucky enough to be able to do this. People who sell the mag are doing something to help themselves, not begging, and I feel they deserve my full support. Homelessness is is a dreadful and terrifyingly easy state to fall into. Buying TBI is a very small but positive contribution to easing someone's misery.

Sadly they want cash for drink or drugs. Can't tell you how many times I've seen these " beggars" handed car keys by their friend who has come to take over the next shift. Cynical I know but sadly that's life. It a job to most of them and they make a good living out of it too. They don't want sandwiches!

I once offered a "beggar" a packet of biscuits. He looked at me as if I was totally mad and rejected them on the grounds that he had "to fink of is teef", adding that what he needed was money.
Last year in freezing weather I went out of my way to buy/give a couple of males who looked desperate a large, hot sausage roll each, but one actually said no-one would give him money while he was eating that!!
It makes me feel very sad and guilty that I have enough while some appear to have next to nothing.

I once read a report, compiled by a large charity, which said that some rough sleepers, 'woke in the morning covered in sandwiches' where people were leaving them too much food.

What is really need is better food, not much nutritional value in a sandwich really. Donate to your local soup kitchen or shelter or food bank, where hot food and other support are available.

Many beggars have houses, cars and a decent lifestyle, and just as many don't and need proper support that coffee cannot provide.

I agree HurdyGurdy

Like many things 'begging' has got out of hand. There are obviously genuine homeless people who need help and giving them healthy food can help. A friend of mine who lives in London once asked a beggar what he wanted in his sandwich, he requested a complicated and expensive choice from the M and S range! My friend bought it but vowed never again. A documentary once followed a beggar home he caught a train and at the final destination drove off in a car. Makes you think. I never give money to beggars (occasionally food) but I often give to buskers as I enjoy their efforts.

For me, if I give someone cash, that's the end of my involvement with that cash. The giving of it is my charitable act, and the money then belongs to the person who receives it. What they choose to do with it from then on, is up to them. I don't think I have the right to say - well here's some cash but you can only spend it on things that I approve of.

If they are homeless, then from my understanding they cannot claim benefits as you need a permanent address. And if they are on the street during the day, the chances are that they are not employed. So if they have an alcohol or drug problem, the only way they are going to get money to fund that addiction, (without people giving them cash) would be to steal. If my giving someone cash is saving someone else from being robbed, then I'm really ok with that.

Of course, the ideal would be for the person to manage their addiction, but we all now how savagely these types of services have been cut, and the help isn't always there.

I was told this by someone who worked in a bank,
A lady gave sandwiches to someone begging, he promptly broke up the sandwiches in front of her and fed them to the pigeons . He obviously wanted cash !