Do you spare change for the homeless?

[Du1point8]

Depends on the look of the person Im afraid... If they look like a drunk or a user, then they can jog on.

We have given spare change to people who looked down and out, but tried to keep himself looking clean, bit of self respect, etc... one basically looked like someones grandfather and just looked like he had hit bad times.

Those people I don't mind handing a few £ to, but look like the kind of person who uses in on drugs/alcohol, then Im afraid I won't fuel their habit at all.

[DoubleSix]

chibbard said:

The last one I saw begging for money was trying to conseal a working I-phone so my sympathy has changed somewhat to these people.

Sound logic.

[Mr Trophy]

Yes.

Is it wrong that I feel sorry for them and give them £10 or £20?

[DoubleSix]

I don't think it's per se, as long as you're aware they're probably putting it straight in their arm. If so then crack on...

[Four Litre]

Yes, one of my biggest fears, loosing your job/home etc

Of course there are some who are in the situation from their own stupidity/laziness. However, there are plenty who's life has turned out bad for them, yes they may be pissheads now but it doesnt mean they always were.

I was exlpaining to a friend that this situation could become to any of us. To which he strongly disagreed. Once I explained the hypothetical scenario - his wife leaves him for a work colleague, his job takes a nose dive as hes not on the ball anymore, he gets fired. Situation gets to much for him, has a breakdown, gets into arrears etc, hits the booze (or whatever gets him through) then looses house. If you dont have a good family or friends behind you - you can be quickly out of your comfort zone and the rest is history.

Once you think about it, its not impossible for the majority to end up in a bad situation. Some will deal with it and recover, others not so well.

I quite often do something where I can, even if its a fiver to make their night easier, then so be it.

[OllieC]

"why don't you get a job"

[FredClogs]

I sometimes dig in my pocket and give something if I have it, I'll go out of my way to give to buskers or people doing any form of street art or entertainment though.

I'm not a soft touch by any means, I just appreciate how lucky I am and how unlucky some other people are, life is a lottery.

[mph1977]

vixen1700 said:

ManFromDelmonte said:

Kermit power said:

some pointless, drugged up peasant on a street corner.

Baryonyx said:

I'd rather throw my last coin down a drain than give it to some drugged up criminal vagrant.

Wow

Wow indeed, some real caring folk on here.

as has been pointed out by the posters with experience of working with the groups of people - they often refuse food or assistance with securing emergency accomodation - becasue they don't need it - what they want is easy cash to spend on substance misuse

DO NOT GIVE THEM CASH -IT WILL (TRIPLE UNDERLINED) BE SPENT ON ALCOHOL, CRACK OR HEROIN

many street beggars are not homeless they are manipulative confidence tricksters earning effective hourly rates in the tens of pounds.

[Four Litre]

FredClogs said:

I'm not a soft touch by any means, I just appreciate how lucky I am and how unlucky some other people are, life is a lottery.

My thougts entirely. I always think that a fiver means FA to me, if Im flush I wont even notice it. However to somebody with nothing, £5 can mean a lot.

...I also believe in Karma, maybe one day if I need it somebody will help me!!!

[Cyder]

The only time recently I can remember giving a bloke a couple of quid was when we were stood outside a pub in Soho (I think) having a pint and a tramp came up to us and said he only had £2 and could murder a pint and could we help him out.

We admired his honesty and gave him the extra couple of quid at which point he went into the pub and came out a few minutes later holding a pint and couldn't thank us enough.

[BrabusMog]

I was waiting for someone near Reading station last summer and a homeless guy sat down with an empty cup and started his routine. Within 15 minutes he'd got over £20 and I know this is true because another "homeless" guy came up to him to ask what he'd got and then said something along the lines of "OK cool, we should have enough as he's getting on well around the corner."

After witnessing that little spectacle, I will never hand out change to homeless people again.

[W124]

I don't care if they want to buy rocks with it. I really don't. It's up to them - once it's left my hand, it's their money. I'd much rather they didn't, but I don't judge. It would be nice if things were black and white and I daresay it's comforting to see it like that.

[TwigtheWonderkid]

My wife distracts them whilst I steal the money others have given them.

[Sleepers]

Spare change goes in child's piggy bank.

[Rotaree]

Some interesting reading why you shouldn't

[Adam B]

mph1977 said:

many street beggars are not homeless they are manipulative confidence tricksters earning effective hourly rates in the tens of pounds.

I don't give, my suspicions were verified when the "homless" man outside my station was arrested and charged with illegal begging, he was making £40k a year whilst living in a council house in Fulham.

I buy a big issue now and then, and give to a charity like Shelter instead

Edited by Adam B on Tuesday 14th October 19:01

[Oilchange]

I'm sure there are a few 'honest' beggars, ie ones that really are down on their luck and could do with a few bob for a sandwich/cup of coffee but in my experience the majority are after cash for booze, fags or drugs.
Gives the genuine ones a bad name and frankly makes the people who refuse to donate look uncharitable but hey.

I have bought dogfood in the past and the odd Mars bar but I wouldn't go further.
There are soup kitchens and you can feed yourself quite well just by hanging around the Biffa bins at the back of Tesco at 10pm...

There by the Grace of God...

[FredClogs]

BrabusMog said:

I was waiting for someone near Reading station last summer and a homeless guy sat down with an empty cup and started his routine. Within 15 minutes he'd got over £20 and I know this is true because another "homeless" guy came up to him to ask what he'd got and then said something along the lines of "OK cool, we should have enough as he's getting on well around the corner."

After witnessing that little spectacle, I will never hand out change to homeless people again.

I don't understand this. What is your point? That you won't give to beggars because other people do? Of that you don't like the idea of homeless people communicating with each other?

[Baryonyx]

Purity14 said:

Sometimes I wake up needing a coffee, and I am pretty groggy until I have had one.
So I can appreciate its probably the same with crack, I don't mind helping out.

You sound like you're the one that has been smoking crack.

[blindswelledrat]

Du1point8 said:

Depends on the look of the person Im afraid... If they look like a drunk or a user, then they can jog on.

We have given spare change to people who looked down and out, but tried to keep himself looking clean, bit of self respect, etc... one basically looked like someones grandfather and just looked like he had hit bad times.

Those people I don't mind handing a few £ to, but look like the kind of person who uses in on drugs/alcohol, then Im afraid I won't fuel their habit at all.

I agree and am the same, but it's ridiculously judgemental to assume the life story of a tramp because of his appearance. It could easily be that your clean grandfather is a new tramp and the "alcoholic druggy" is a seasoned tramp and nothing more.
I also have other ridiculous arbitrary tramp rules. There is one that frequents Southwark station who has both a BOOK and a GIRLFRIEND. That's not proper tramp. No way am I paying him. He even wraps himself in a blanket in the middle of summer to appear cold. Not on your nelly mate.
Although we once did give him a brand new woolly adidas hat that a bloke in the office had had delivered whilst he was on holiday and photographed him looking delighted and sent it to the chap whos hat should have been. Anyway I digress.