So..please tell me what I should actually do when I see someone who appears to be homeless begging?

[FlyingD]

My daughter feels upset about people who are rough sleeping and sees that I don't give money to them all. I explained that I give to food banks to help but she says she can't walk past as she feels so sad for them. What do I tell her? Anyone work with street homeless people?

My city council asks us not to give money. But to donate to local support charities instead.

I don't engage for many of the reasons already given.
There's a particular part of the town centre I avoid due to aggressive beggars.
I'm not funding anyone's habits

If I can I buy them food,... I don’t ever give them money because where I live they will 100% spend it on alcohol or drugs. If they come up to me and ask for specific money then I don’t give them anything. A new thing in our area is saying they are fleeing domestic violence and need £20.. very specific and very suspect. They are getting brazen and when you tell them you don’t have cash they ask you to go to the cashpoint.

Yeah but that because their lives have no value for you - why should you care if the money you give helps kill them as long as you get a nice, warm glow?

Every fucking person who gave my brother money for drugs whilst he lived on the streets just helped keep him there and helped shred his mental health to the point where it will never recover.

I don’t engage or make eye contact. The area I encounter them in my city is well known and they would be on the radar or homeless charities and police.

During the lockdowns I had a coworker that had a nasty run in with one while walking through the nearly deserted city to her car.

Harsh as it sounds they don’t need to be encouraged. Street begging is bad for everyone.

that had a nasty run in with one that's a really unpleasant way to refer to a human @bluetongue - one what?

Very dehumanising.

I just give them money. They can spend it on what they like, much the same as I do. Not bothered about if it’s a scam or not as it could also very much be a genuine homeless person in need. I also donate to the local homeless shelter too though.

English local authorities and charities have shared the personal data of dozens of non-UK rough sleepers with a controversial Home Office programme that could lead to their deportation.

The details of homeless people were shared with Rough Sleeping Support Service (RSSS) 85 times between 14 October 2020 and 23 December 2021, according to documents obtained by Liberty Investigates under Freedom of Information laws.

Love the Greggs gift card idea!

There are some well meaning but very dangerous snippets of advice here.

Regardless of the rights and wrongs of giving money (I wouldn’t be giving hot drinks and sandwiches, no one wants seven hot chocolates and stale ham sandwiches in an hour) the OP should NOT be encouraging her young daughter to talk to homeless men.

Many of them are addicts, many of them live in a criminal underworld. It’s not totally their fault, it’s very sad, I have every sympathy - but it’s not something we should be encouraging children to approach, is it!?

I usually say I have no cash, which is true as I never have cash on me, but I’m popping into M&S/Starbucks/boots, and do they need anything?

I notice the announcements on overground not to give cash but donate instead

Probably to dissuade more people doing the same

On the street you could ask if they’d like food but I do feel for the dd below who was sworn at, not sure how old she was but that’s difficult

I don't give food either, I don't feel it's respectful tbh.

I ask before giving anything, even money, unless a person asks/has a sign. I also never give money without speaking just a bit.