Tired of the performative beggars and alcoholics this time of year

[Onand]

Is anyone else sick and tired of the huge number of ‘homeless’ beggars, alcoholics and addicts that descended on the streets since the Christmas rush started this year?

Manchester is rife with them- this year there is a particularly ropey bunch of alcoholics/ addicts that are obnoxiously ‘sleeping’ or sitting with their bags pointing directly out into the street instead of being against a wall, they’re building ‘dens’ in shop doorways which stink of human faeces and piss, dealers go from spot to spot, dogs forced to sit in uncomfortable situations (often not even their dog as the same one gets passed from beggar to beggar).

It’s a self perpetuating problem because soup kitchens serving buffets set up and cater meals for them whilst they’re generally being a nuisance and making the streets look an absolute shitty mess. Why are they tolerated? People need to stop giving them money as it just encourages them to keep doing it when there are services in place to help them.

Bah humbug I know, but It’s beyond grim.

The homeless prevention and resettlement service that I used to work for has had its funding reduced by more than 70% over the last 6 years.

It's hardly surprising that there are more people sleeping rough if services across the country have been similarly affected.

Take your frustrations out on your MP, write to them, campaign for better. People are desperate because they live in dire circumstances, have endured horrific trauma and services that could help are chronically underfunded. It is disgraceful that homelessness is still a thing in 2024. This is a government issue - those who are in a position of power to change things.

I get it op it can be similar here. We have a huge donated dedicated centre for the homeless, it houses drug workers, mental health workers, free food donated by local shops and cafes, housing advisors, CAB workers, 10 flats that are given a temporary homes for homeless to get them on their feet, washing facilities, showers too. Do the begging homeless go in there, no do they bollocks, they prefer to sit outside M&S being rude to tourists that don’t want to give them money. No I get no one chooses to be homeless, no one chooses to have mental health issues etc but at some point you have to take responsibility for your life, there are all the amazing services to help them here but they choose not to (here anyway) it’s a choice they are choosing. Lots of people have difficult lives, lots of reasons and excuses as to why someone ended up in the manner they have but where does this end? Just homelessness or do we excuse maybe someone beating the shit out of their wife and kids for example “because they didn’t choose to have poor mental health” or maybe the person who burgled your house, do we let them off too because maybe “they didn’t to be a drug addict” very much doubt it!

Ok then let them sell themselves or Rob an old granny instead of giving them a pitiful £2 when passing. Only a small percentage of that given to charity goes to the individual. You need a reality check..

Do you give a "pitiful" £2 every time you pass a beggar?

Wow, Rishi or Suella is that you? These people, for whatever reason, have obviously been failed by society. Nobody would voluntarily sleep on the streets in December, or any time. If you don't like it, don't give to them, simple as that, but to post about how dreadful they are is just disgusting. I hope you learn some compassion and empathy in the very near future.

@Fluufer I give as much as I have on me at the time. Whatever I can.

@Thethruththewholetruth I am fascinated to know where this huge, fully funded with plentiful trained staff (including mental health) centre for homelessness is. I’ve worked in addictions for several years across major cities in England and Scotland and have yet to come across one like you describe. As an aside, your language is stigmatising and ignorant - the ‘begging homeless’ are people too, how de-humanising.

I am sure you do not have frontline or personal experiences of these services you describe oh so positively. There is a massive problem with gaps in services in the UK as well as chronic underfunding. This means that those living in complex circumstances (e.g. people who are homeless, substance dependent with a history of trauma) are often bounced between mental health, addiction and homelessness services as they tend to be tightly gatekept and only focus on part of the problem. This is a big part of the reason why individuals get stuck being homeless - in my experience, homelessness services do not employ specialist mental health clinicians which is what is often really needed as most people living on the streets are traumatised. There are very, very few psychologists working in these services as the focus tends to be on practical matters such as accommodation. Community mental health teams will not accept referrals for individuals who are substance dependent. Addiction services will not provide in depth psychological therapy until the person is ‘stable’ e.g has a secure tenancy, reduced substance use. This is a real problem, there is a lack of joined up help for people who need a multifaceted approach due to the complexity of their situations and backgrounds.

There really is not a lot of help available, and what is available tends to be woefully underfunded and inadequate.

As much as you have on you? Every time? Bollocks do you.

Not what I said though, is it. I said it’s none of my business what you, or anyone else, thinks best for their own children.

Minding your own business is the polar opposite of extreme really!

The lack of humanity and compassion from the OP is embarrassing. Many alcoholics and drug addicts are the product of the fucking shit care system. They may have been battered, sexually abused, attacked, witnessed domestic violence and then put in care with nothing for them at 16. Mental health issues, drugs, prostitution and prison then a piss covered shitty pavement and a bit of free soup and tarp, if you’re lucky. Why not ask how we fix the damage done from 14 years of Tory austerity and install a positive social care system, jobs, affordable homes.

@Fluufer as much loose change as I have on me. What point are you trying to make exactly? People saying that giving beggars change keeps them on the street is just beyond ridiculous. It's what people say to justify their tight-fistedness and lack compassion.

My point is competitive made up generosity isn't helpful. You don't give as much as you have to every beggar you pass. That's a ridiculous claim and nobody can afford it.
It is also nobody else's fault if a beggar goes on to rob granny. And your claim about charities is bollocks too, there's plenty of good ones about.

@Fluufer you're clearly very ignorant and no doubt a Tory sympathiser. Think yourself lucky that you don't understand the situation at all. I'll continue to dish out my change wherever and whenever I can. I won't pretend to myself I'm doing a kind and noble act but not giving a thing. Stop kidding yourself.

Well, you seem delightful.

Where are you saying they normally are then? Are you claiming they have homes and are sleeping rough just to get money for their addiction? How do they normally get money?

There was a guy around our ends who used to beg outside the train station. He had a bmw, he was my sisters neighbour. Some people are just taking the piss. There are also genuinely homeless people so I would call the council and make sure they are getting the help they need.

Always a great move to compare people
to animals

Ah, the BMW. I was wondering when that would get a mention.

How would you go about calling the council and making sure the homeless person got the help they needed? Have you ever had any dealings with council housing? As it really doesn’t seem like you know what you’re talking about.

I'm not ignorant at all. I'm sure I understand far better than someone who lies about handing over all their money to every beggar they see and thinks they know more than any charity. Hand out your spare change if you want, but you clearly live a sheltered life if uou can do that every time. Lucky you.
Not a Tory sympathizer btw. Couldn't be more wrong.

I think you have taken my comments about what I give really quite literally. Your thinking is quite rigid. I give what I can when I can and by doing so I don't really think I'm perpetuating the problem as such.

I didn't take it literally. But this ridiculous hyperbole, competitive "compassion", shouting down anyone who isn't as generous as you claim to be is silly. Calling people Tories, tight-fisted, lacking compassion because they don't blindly empty their pockets is absurd.
You may not think you're perpetuating the problem, but you aren't really helping anyone either.

Ok then, let's all do like you and do less than zero. Criticising people for dropping a bit of change. I was not competitive about it, I'm not a martyr. You certainly aren't helping anyone that's for sure.

And you are? You come across as bitter, ignorant and utterly unpleasant. Why does it irk you so much that this poster chooses to give her change to a homeless person? Do you find it that hard to believe that some people are kind?

I would feel sorry for you, if your language wasn’t so thoroughly de-humanising and degrading towards homeless people.

I don't care who gives her change to. But that isn't what she said. And she does appears to care what I do with my change.
Dehumanising how? What did I even say about homeless people specifically? There's several of on this thread pointing fingers and making accusations about anyone who doesn't do exactly as you do and it's silly and unhelpful. "Compassion" doesn't help anyone. Targeted investment does.