To be fed up of being asked for money?

[RainbowsAndCrystals]

I'm not on the bread line but I'm definitely not comfortable and I have to watch my outgoings.

Been food shopping and got approached by a man asking me for money. I said no and he continued to beg until I got in my car. It was quite intimidating.

I was sat inside costa waiting for my train and someone came in and asked me for money. When I said no he looked so angry and offended.

I'm never rude, I always say no sorry I don't have any cash on me. Which is true, I pay for everything on card.

I just want to be left alone. I'm a good person and I give to charity every single month. Yet I'm made out to be a shit person because I won't give a stranger money. Aibu?

[berliozwooler]

Oh, they'll only buy drugs...read this.

www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.newstatesman.com/politics/uk/2017/10/why-you-should-give-money-directly-and-unconditionally-homeless-people%3famp

[justilou1]

I live in Australia where we have the most expensive cigarettes in the world. I saw a woman with two little girls begging outside our local supermarket (definitely not an affluent area by any means). I used to feel sorry for them and throw them some change until I saw her strip off their jumpers on a cold, wet day, chuck them into her very voluminous handbag and saw that she obviously had money for several packets of cigarettes and was using the kids as bait. I told her that not only had I seen her do this, but it was on CCTV, and I would call child services.

[Gingernaut]

Wikipedia - "Beggingis illegal under the Vagrancy Act of 1824. However it does not carry a jail sentence and is not well enforced in many cities, although since the Act applies in all public places it is enforced more frequently on public transport."

Is vagrancy a crime in UK?

TheVagrancyAct 1824 (5 Geo. 4. c. 83) is an Act of Parliament of the United Kingdom that makes it an offence to sleep rough or beg. Anyone inEnglandand Wales found to be homeless or to be trying to cadge subsistence money can be arrested.

Is it an Offence to beg?

Peoplebeggingcan be arrested and prosecuted under the following powers: Vagrancy Act 1824 (section 3). Enables the arrest of anybody whois begging. It is a recordableoffenceand carries a level 3 fine (currently £1,000)

[Gingernaut]

Sorry, I copied and pasted and didn't check spaces.

[EllieThornton]

There was a man near where I live who wore a voluminous dark shirt, which used to have the arms hanging empty by his side, which gave the impression he was armless, while holding a plastic cup between his teeth. His arms were, of course, folded inside the shirt. I like the ones who show a bit of imagination in their method of begging.

[Kingoftheroad]

In my city most beggars are Eastern europeans. Police on the whole ignore this, prior to the free movement of people within the EU they were very strict re street begging.

A licence was required by any collectors even the Salvation Army at Christmas.

There was a shocking TV report done on our city which detailed the lives of the beggars. Almost all were linked to people trafficking, child exploitation and organised crime.

[grobagsforever]

@EllieThornton did you mean that to sound so deeply unpleasant and spiteful?

[grobagsforever]

I cannot believe the lack of empathy on this thread. How dare you all judge what homeless ppl spend money on? Who do you think you are? A fellow human is reduced to this and you judge..

[grobagsforever]

@Kingoftheroad - you sound lovely and not at all racist

[MimsyFluff]

Me and DD1 was in Newcastle last week, so many homeless people, I heard two men talking about jumping walls so they'd be out of the cold weather. I have my bag of change we'd finished walking Hadrian's Wall so had a bag for easy access about £5-8 to the only homeless man that didn't ask for money, I greeted him as we walked past and he greeted me and DD1 back so after a few steps I got DD1 to give him the money. Hopefully it helped paid for his hostel that night and if it paid for drugs so long as it kept him happy I don't care.

I was asked at the supermarket the other day, I said no she then said something shitty under her breath! She wasn't homeless!

Kingoftheroad I watched that documentary too was very sad but the only homeless I've ever seen up north have a British accent and most likely let down by SS and the council who don't deem men in needing a safe place to sleep.

[Lethaldrizzle]

If someone is desperate enough to ask for money I usually give it to them

[PanGalaticGargleBlaster]

I don't give money to beggars, cups of tea and food, but never cash. Have set up a monthly direct debit with Shelter instead.

There does seem to be a rise though in aggressive begging over the last few years where I find myself getting followed by a homeless person who will not take no for an answer and you end up having to be quite rude to them to get them to back away.

[JustHope]

I watched a homeless guy who always sits on the street outside a busy supermarket while I waited ages for a bus. I saw many people give him £5, £10 and lots of change. He would take the notes and coins out and put them in his bag making it look to passers by like he’d only had a few pennies. In the 30mins or so I was there he’d been given at least £40, so in a day at that rate he must be clearing quite a nice amount.

[Ttbb]

This always happens to me. I can be Walji Gina huge crowd and beggars will make a bee line for me and ignore everyone else. Then they get angry or start following me around if I say no. Fortunately I have moved into an area with very polite beggars who do not approach people directly and are always very polite and friendly so it's not an issue in my day to day life anymore but it still happens when I am in London.

[MrMeeseekscando]

Absolutely not.
If I knew my (pretty bloody hard earned) cash was going to buy some food, or a bed, then maybe.
I can't tell though, so I give to charity instead.
I can't afford to drink and smoke and there is no way I'm paying for someone else to. Homeless or not.
As usual it's the chancers that screw it up for the people that are genuinely in need.

[MollyHuaCha]

There were two women begging outside M&S food hall. So whilst I was in there I bought them both fruit - one grapes, one a tray of four apples.

When I handed them their fruit a few minutes later, they looked at me incredulously. Then, realizing there was not going to be any money, just fruit, they took it, but exchanged eyes with each other in a look that was less than impressed. Despite the fact that this fruit had cost me considerably more than the 20p, 50p or £1 that others had given them (according to the coins on display in their pots).

Still don’t know if I did the right thing.

[Flomper]

The legions of professional beggars have ruined it for any genuine cases i think. I never give to beggars now after an experience when I was a poor student myself. I had very little money and had scraped together a load of loose change from the flat to go and get some milk and bread, loads of coins adfing up to about a fiver. After I came out of the supermarket I just had a few 2p and 1ps left, maybe 25p. A gut asked me if i could spare any chnage so I gave him that last handful of coppers as there wasnt much i could do with it and i had a bag of shopping. He said, "what! coppers? Haven't you got any pound coins?" I said no sorry and walked away. Awhile later I was on the bus home and by chance saw the same man pulling out pound after pound after pound from various pockets, and piling them up on his knee and counting them, he must have had at least £60/70. He got off the bus at my stop and as I followed him off, I saw him throw away all the coppers into the grass verge. That was the last time I ever gave money to a beggar. Sad for the genuine case but that level of piss taking did it for me.

[JustHope]

I agree Flomper. Our city has been swamped by homeless people begging in the last few years. Apparently many are professionals who have moved here from outside because people here a reputation for being generous. Taking advantage of people’s good nature and generosity is just horrible and it takes from those genuinely in need.

[BMW6]

Shelter advise the public to NEVER give cash to individual beggars. If you want to help, donate to charitable organisation.

[factory999]

I’ve done a lot of work with homeless people, and often cash means they can go and buy their own food- it makes them feel like a human being with their own choices.

By all means if an individual is happy to be bought food, then go ahead. But if someone asks for money and you come back with a sandwich, you can’t be surprised if they say they don’t want it. They may have been bought ten sandwiches that day- you can’t get a night in a warm bed with a sandwich.

Of course some will use the money for drink and drugs- I occasionally need a glass of wine after a hard day at work, I can’t imagine what addictions a life on the street would push me to. An addict will get the money they need somehow- taking it from a kind stranger is far preferable to some of the alternatives.

[HighburyHattie]

No I agree, I get asked for money daily whenever I walk from the car park to my work place as I walk through a major high street. A lot of people have dogs with them too.

I have in the past given £5/£10 notes (I don’t anymore). I have also offered to buy them a drink/food from somewhere nearby. I feel bad for homeless people at this time of year as it’s so cold. However I can’t afford to give money to every single one I see so I’m not sure what else to do

[Sgtmajormummy]

Last week I found a €5 note on the ground which had obviously been dropped by someone who'd been to the cash machine a few feet away. Nobody nearby to run after and ask.
I spent 5 minutes debating with myself what I should do with it. Nearest beggar? Church poorbox (not a believer)? The charity I donate to on my tax return? Blow it on sweets?

I decided to give it to people I see (occasionally) ahead of me at the supermarket checkout regretfully handing stuff back because they can't afford it. They're usually only a small amount out and I help whenever I see it (I've also been known to give them one of my too many shopping bags to save them paying 5 cents they don't have).

So now I have a little mental stock of kind acts (the €5 note has long been spent) which I hope to carry out with the least possible intrusion.

[polkadott30]

TheFirstMrsDeV I feel the same way too- glad it is not me- i woudl hate to be in their shoes- but, realistically you cannot always afford to give to everyone who asks. it is very

[polkadott30]

Flomper Seriously??? that is outrageous!!!! on your behalf

[LemonScentedStickyBat]

If you give to a local charity that provides shelter or food it’s much better all round. If a homeless person goes to a drop in, even just for a cup of tea or to get out from the cold, they then often access other much needed services from the workers there - housing or mental health support for example.