to feel like a mug? I gave £20 to a beggar....

[earwig1]

I went shopping with my kids in London today, and we saw many beggars, mostly Rumanian, along Oxford St. As we approached John Lewis I saw a young woman begging. She seemed to be Muslim as she was wearing a head scarf, and in her mid 20s. For some reason I was compelled to ask her if she was ok, and as she spoke some English I asked her a few questions. She said she was a Bosnian refugee and she had shelter, not homeless, and lived with her mother and her daughter. She said she has no National Insurance number, so can't work, and actually apologized for begging. I gave her £20... Now I feel silly, as I know that I should give the money to Shelter, or other charities, but while I usually walk past beggars there was something about her that I couldn't ignore.

I know it may not help in the grand big picture. But I can't help but remember when I didn't know how to access these means of help and can only assume some people might be in the same situation.

Given the way things are going there will be a lot more people on the streets soon as charities and LA assistance will be greatly stretched. DP's friend has just lost his home as his HB was cut by £150, he's now in a hostel, only so many places to go around.

as I said statutory agencies,charities recommend don't give to beggars
plenty legit charities happy to accept financial or voluntary support
giving to beggars impedes individual recovery,maintains dysfunction

pumpkin street outreach teams specifically approach homeless to engage in services,offer advice
the approach is proactive and seeks out the vulnerable individual

I think on balance I would rather be a bit silly and sentimental.

Yes, I understand all of the problems with beggars and gangs and all the rest of it. I am quite a sensible hard nosed person.

But when there is someone standing in front of you, it isn't actually really about them is it? It is about what sort of person you are.

Whether they take you for a mug, doesn't detract from your act of giving. I would rather risk giving the wrong person money then getting it wrong the other way and a genuine person in need is stepped over.

Lesser of two evils.

you're sentimentalizing a significant social problem,that's how they make the money.
social pressure,individual contact,eye contact all to free you of your money
I value recovery and a life away from dependence and criminality.exactly why I dont give

This is the ad campaign "Killing with Kindness"
www.thamesreach.org.uk/news-and-views/campaigns/giving-to-beggars/

Quotation from the campaign
"Overwhelming evidence shows that people who beg on the streets of London do so in order to buy hard drugs, particularly crack cocaine and heroin, and super-strength alcoholic beers and ciders. These highly addictive drugs cause an extreme deterioration in people?s health and even death.

This evidence comes from a number of sources. Firstly Thames Reach?s outreach teams including its London Street Rescue service who are out and about on the streets of the capital working with London?s homeless 365 days of the year. They estimate that 80 per cent of people begging do so to support a drug habit.

In the experience of frontline workers, people are more likely to accept help and to address their addictions when they are not receiving money from begging.

Secondly, when the Metropolitan Police did some drug testing of people arrested for begging, the figures indicated that between 70 and 80 per cent tested positive for Class A drugs. "

She could be telling the truth.

chaz,good post and spot on content
begging funds criminality and drugs
police and all statutory agencies advise don give to beggars

I can remember some beggars coming into a coffee bar at uni 20 years ago - everybody gave them something. And then watched as they walked out, took off their dowdy scruffy outer clothes, shook themselves out and hopped into a taxi, looking like they were out for a night on the town. And looking significantly wealthier than a) they did when they came in and asked for money and b) than most of the students there.

Needless to say, don't think I ever bothered giving them anything when they came through college again, think they saw it as full of students who were a soft touch.

I agree with scottishmummy and chaz on this one. Giving to beggars only perpetuates the problem. Your money will always be better spent by giving it to a charity.

Yanbu to feel like a mug.

"She said she has no National Insurance number, so can't work"
The moment she can prove that she is looking for work, she will get a NI number. She just needs to bring a rejection letter to the job center.

However, she was lying to you. She was working, earning a pretty good salary too I would say. However, she wont be paying any tax or declaring any income that is for sure!

Not quite the same but I recommend watching this Panorama Program on Child Beggers. It is really shocking and interesting. I never give to beggers but will give to homeless or youth charities.

I'm so sorry but what you did perpetuated the gangs runnign beggars. There's only a vanishingly small chance she was not part of such a scam.

these gangs exploit women
you've just put £20 straight into organized crime
and the sob story they're well rehearsed and adept at it

I'm afraid scottishmummu is true. But if it's any conslation most people have have fallen for a sob story once in their lives. Put it behind you. At leasdt now you know.

is true ?? -- is right!

Morloth - I think your attitude is dangerous. These gangs are cruel and exploitative to women and children and are often involved in trafficking. You help to enable that because you want to feel better about yourself. That's wrong.

Here's a bit of conslation op: two weeks ago I spent about a fiver on hot pastry and large coffee for a very poor looking man. He had an iphone, I spotted as I bent down to give it to him. I still gave it to him but one does feel a bit stupid.

as I emphasized all statutory agency and charity advise don't give
begging keeps the individuals trapped in dysfunction and criminality
just because someone gets a well least I'm not hard hearted doesn't make it right

Yep sm.

It doesn't make you a mug, just a good person. I hate the Romanian beggars, I used to get stung and very often pickpocketed by them most days on my commute. The worst ones are the women who shove a baby at you.

its fine

you had it in your pocket

she needed it

I have done this at times (but a tenner!)

she didn't keep it paristoberlin