Beggers & the homeless

How do you all feel about and respond to beggers etc. on the high street?

I'm thinking about the poor sods sleeping in doorways, begging outside shops or at traffic lights.

I constantly disappoint myself with my reactions to them - principally anxiety & often annoyance when they sit blocking a busy thoroughfare. There is some sympathy also, but it's so hard to figure out if they are genuine or not. Even if they are genuine, giving money is often not the best action to take -  so I do give to Shelter & Salvation Army (who look after homeless people). I still feel conflicted whenever I come across the homeless though.

There is quite a friendly old guy who sits all day on a broken office chair outside my local supermarket. He chats to everyone going by (with some strong lager in hand) and doesn't ask for money (other than his hat on the ground with a few coins). I have to brace myself to go past him into the supermarket, and occasionally I go to another shop if I'm low on spoons.

The older I get, the more I realise that it could easily be me one day.

  • A social worker told me that acknowledging that they exist is more important than money.   I try to say ‘Hi, how are you ?’ to some of them if possible

  • I don't react well to anyone who shouts in public, or approaches me without any warning. Whether they are beggars, homeless, or those annoying pests who try to get you to sign up to a charity (chuggers/charity muggers). On the other hand, if there is a good musician or band playing, I will stop and listen for a long time and give them money. 

  • Totally agree, but the ones we had trouble with get more benefits and food banks, furniture budgets, support workers, a home, clothes given to them then go out of area to beg for money and sell drugs under the guise of being homeless. Our real local ones do get coffees and food given and access to winter temporary cover by our charity. It’s not loss of morals on our part it’s theirs taking advantage of services that a lot of autistics never see or are offered at the present time.

  • I offer a pack of crisps, or a coffee; which is what I did in Belfast and Dublin.

    Even if they're drug-addicts, there's a story behind how they got sucked into that seedy world.

    I believe that we have lost our moral compass; caused by ongoing attacks on Christian Values and Heritage.

  • There’s homeless then there’s begging for money for drugs. Where I live we have loads show up when tourists are about, they come in from surrounding areas where they have flats and are known. We had a real issue 2 years ago. We have regulars who are homeless and don’t bother anyone and as a little community we know who is who. The beggars I ignore.