Beggars CAN be choosers!

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.

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.

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.

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.

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....!?

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.

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.

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.

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 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.

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

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.

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. . . . .

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.

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 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.

Not all beggars are homeless and not all homeless beg.

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

We have had a similar thread a little while ago.
I will repeat what I wrote then. A friend of mine works with a homeless charity in our city. She says that no one in the city has to sleep outdoors. There is accommodation for all.
There is a soup kitchen in the evening in the centre of the shopping area so all can be fed.
She said that there are very generous people who buy beggars food and drink but , as has already been said, there is a limit to how much one person can eat or how many coffees can be drunk.
I support the charity but don't give to beggars. It makes me feel very guilty when I say no, as I did last night.
I don't suppose that there is any way we can ever get it right.

I saw an article in the local press about a young man who had been "sanctioned" becuase he was late for his appointment at the benefits office,his benefits were stopped for several weeks as "punishment" He had no option but to beg to attempt to keep a roof over his head ,some of you seem to forget that if you're down on your luck its guaranteed the DWP will come along and kick you when you're down .Countless numbers of people are sanctioned every month with no visible means of support what are they supposed to do ? Its not only feckless ,irresponsible folk who find themselves with problems

I guess I would ask them if they need anything besides cash. I was sitting in a taxi in NYC once, in mid winter. The temperature had dropped to a bone chilling 11 degrees F. I saw a man jump out of limo in mid traffic and he handed his expensive looking overcoat and scarf to a homeless man who looked like he was about to pass out from the cold!

Big issue sellers areNOT beggars. They have to buy the magazines and estimate how many thy will sell, I think they buy them for £1 and sell for £2 or something like that. Any that dont sell have to be thrown away when the next edition comes out. This is a way of getting them back on track and getting some dignity. If they are picked up in a car with others this is probably the organisers who they buy the mags from and allocate to them their 'patch,' If you are homeless (maybe a recovering alcoholic or trying to come off drugs) you are in a catch 22 situation - no fixed address = no job offers. No job means no money to rent somewhere to live. Sometimes they are helped to get back on track by being offered sheltered accommodation but still have to pay rent (maybe electricity etc too) and buy food. For job interviews they need to afford decent clothes not to mention somewhere to wash /shave/have a haircut etc. Busking is one way of 'working' for money but illegal in any places. Big Issue selling is legal (they have a licence ) and are helped to save a little (they have to manage there own money - if they buy too many or too few mags to sell they may be out of pocket.) if thy can save enough to get somewhere to live they etc they have a chance of getting a job. So I usually buy the big issue (and sometimes give a little more.) The mags are often interesting to read in any case.

A good book to read is 'A street cat named Bob' - an autobiographical account of a recovering drug addict who is 'adopted' by a stret cat. Its a charming book and you learn a lot about homelessness, busking and Big Issue selling.

I don't consider big issue sellers as beggars. I always buy it, and enjoy reading it.

Many of the people on the street are actually trafficked here and their traffickers have put them on to the street to earn money. I must admit, if I ever, God forbid found myself homeless and on the street I'd probably have to turn to drink so I could pass out as I would be so scared and hopeless. I think giving to the charities that help to feed, clothe and assist the homeless is a much better option than giving money to street beggars because at least then their basic human needs will be met at least.