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Thoughts on giving money to homeless
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I’ve asked this because I regularly when I’m out when I see anyone homeless I’ll either get them something hot to eat or give them some cash in hope they go get something eat although I bet they buy alcohol but at least I get the feeling of giving some help to these at some point. |
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For such a well off country too many homeless youngsters alot of the older drug addict homeless choose that lifestyle but there are alot of young people in that situation with bad parents who throw them out once they're old enough with no where to turn not enough help out there disgusing |
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So so true some people yeah they choose it but some people have their hands forced into it and I’m a great believer in no one in this world should be homeless when there are so many empty buildings gutted everywhere and government giving handouts to other countries before helping their own citizens in this country begging for help. |
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By *an1978Woman 9 weeks ago
GONE/TIMEOUT (No DMs please) |
Why macdonalds?
Is it because it is warm food?
I don't see homeless where I am, but when I go to a town I do try to give cash If I have.
But I am aware that some do it as money making.
I told my kids, that yes maybe they maybe a scammer, but if I were on the street I would hope someone would help me. |
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We're unfortunate enough to have grown up in an area that was full of alcoholics and smackheads so it's easy to spot tghe ones that aren't. If they're not either of these things we don't mind giving them money at all.
Him |
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You should do what you feel is right for the right reasons. Are you genuinely trying to help them, or just feel guilty, or being compassionate regardless of it helps in the long term, or feeling sad, or a tad uncomfortable walking on by & not at acknowledging them ?
I studied street photography of the homeless and learnt that what homeless people want more than anything it’s to be treated as humans and seen. |
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By (user no longer on site) 9 weeks ago
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I'll give them either money or food, they get the option.
If they want to use it for drugs or alcohol then that is their choice.
Being homeless is a destructive cycle that is borderline impossible to get out of and there is very little light at the end of the tunnel. If they need a drink to get through the day or they need drugs in order to manage an addiction that they would likely die from going cold turkey on, then that's what they can use my money for.
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Over the last ten years I have met probably c3000 rough sleepers. Out of those I can think of maybe 3 true rough sleepers that did it by choice.
Generally they don't want to be sleeping on the streets. Some are addicts (drugs, alcohol or both), some have mental health problems but what the genuine rough sleepers need is support, something that's sadly lacking in this so called first world country.
There are some fantastic charities helping rough sleepers, running hostels etc. but they all face the same problems with councils blocking access to housing, sometimes using illegal means.
By all means help if you can but supporting those charities is the best way to do it. Can you tell the difference between a true rough sleeper, a professional beggar or someone faking it to game the system and get into social housing?
I can't always and I work in that field. |
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We both do feel truly sorry for people that are genuinely homeless, for whatever reason.
We’ve given to a local charity that supplies warm clothing and sleeping bags etc. during the winter months and delivers food.
Member of family also knits hats all year round and donates them to a charity.
It’s unfortunate that professional beggars will be taking money and meals from people that genuinely need help.
Will always try to do something for them.
Most recently met a guy who lived his life camping on the street and traveled the length of the country. He had amazing stories to tell, was more than happy to help him.
When you’re in a privileged position, no matter how you got there, it’s easy for life to change. |
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By (user no longer on site) 9 weeks ago
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This might be a controversial view but I don't understand this narrative that was set that homeless people are alcoholics or addicts. We live in a country where a lot of people are struggling to survive and it can happen to anyone of us if we don't have the support of family or friends around us. It's very clear to see the people who are actually homeless and not just begging so I always give to them. And every person I have given to, they have been genuinely nice and thankful for whatever they have received. I have given both food and money, it's not my business what they spend it on.. even if they did spend it on substances, if that is what makes their day a little bit more bearable, I'm okay with that. We need to stop judging and just show a little kindness, it might be you who's reaching up for a helping hand next time. |
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There are several genuine street sleepers in our town, sleeping in sleeping bags, or duvets with cardboard for extra warmth Mostly people pass them by and don't give them anything. I guess it's because they are unkempt or something.
Before Christmas last year some organised street beggars came with thier neatly written "Hungry and Homeless" signs. They were all clean in clothes, no sleeping bags ect Similar to organised begging gangs in Bristol. One was a female, she had beside her carrier bags of food she had been given. People were falling over themselves to give her money/food. I found that very sad, that people would give to her and not to the genuinely homeless in our town.. |
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"I’ve asked this because I regularly when I’m out when I see anyone homeless I’ll either get them something hot to eat or give them some cash in hope they go get something eat although I bet they buy alcohol but at least I get the feeling of giving some help to these at some point. "
Did you know that in the winter months it's their addiction (alcohol)that keeps them warm or at least allows them to cope with it,on the Southwest coast you don't see so many homeless people anymore ,you still see a few mind ,Prince William is doing away with it mind.
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Itvis a disgrace that we have so many in this cou try. I appreciate there might be different reasons, but still. I do whatever I fee is appropiate at the time if I can. Everyone should be kind to those less fortunate in our world.  |
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It’s all very well people saying that they don’t give cash, just hot food and drink.
What if you’re the fifth person in the last couple of hours to do that, when what the guy really needs is some change to use the laundrette or buy a razor, or anything else that people take for granted, maybe he just wants the dignity of being able to go into a shop and give the cashier a fiver and pay for what he’s purchased. |
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"It’s all very well people saying that they don’t give cash, just hot food and drink.
What if you’re the fifth person in the last couple of hours to do that, when what the guy really needs is some change to use the laundrette or buy a razor, or anything else that people take for granted, maybe he just wants the dignity of being able to go into a shop and give the cashier a fiver and pay for what he’s purchased. "
I very much agree with this.
If I was homeless I'd want to choose what I ate and drank or have money to buy sanitary products, soap, deodorant etc. I'd also prefer it if people didn't film themselves giving for socials |
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"This might be a controversial view but I don't understand this narrative that was set that homeless people are alcoholics or addicts. We live in a country where a lot of people are struggling to survive and it can happen to anyone of us if we don't have the support of family or friends around us. It's very clear to see the people who are actually homeless and not just begging so I always give to them. And every person I have given to, they have been genuinely nice and thankful for whatever they have received. I have given both food and money, it's not my business what they spend it on.. even if they did spend it on substances, if that is what makes their day a little bit more bearable, I'm okay with that. We need to stop judging and just show a little kindness, it might be you who's reaching up for a helping hand next time. "
If it's their 'fault' it can't happen to me. That's how some people think, it also gives some a sense of superiority.
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This doesn't sum up all my experiences with homeless people just one. I bought food and gave it to a homeless person and they told me they didn't need the food. So from then on I prefer to give any euros I have in change when I can. I'll donate to specific homeless charities serving my community and have volunteered. Dignity should be the bare minimum to offer any human, homeless or not. |
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Looking at it from another point of view, I was homeless in my younger days. Sleeping rough or in a tent can be scary, and cold. I used to get people outside my tent causing a nuisance and trying to intimidate.
Alcohol can help alleviate the fear and give the illusion of warmth (which when you concerntrate on the cold it becomes a very long night) |
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"Looking at it from another point of view, I was homeless in my younger days. Sleeping rough or in a tent can be scary, and cold. I used to get people outside my tent causing a nuisance and trying to intimidate.
Alcohol can help alleviate the fear and give the illusion of warmth (which when you concerntrate on the cold it becomes a very long night)"
Yeah but if you use alcohol to get through the night in a ten bedroom mansion it's ok.
If you're a very famous wealthy person you're 'troubled' and the world should have treated you better. Send them immediately to a comfortable rehab centre
If you're poor or homeless it's your own damn fault and you should be grateful for scraps from the rich man's table. |
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I think we all have an opinion when it comes to homeless people wherever that's a positive one or so a negative one. I think many of us would want to do more yet it's out of our hands.
There have been times where I have given money to the homeless if I have any loose change that I know I'm not going to use then sure I'm happy to give, other times I'll offer to buy them a meal.
What they choose to do with the money I give them isn't my problem really, sure I'd like to hope they wouldn't get drugs with them but hey, given their circumstances would you blame them?
Personally I find to just even acknowledged them matters more than giving them something, a simple hi, or a smile goes a long way, because I know many of us have walked past them without even saying anything or looking at them out of fear they'll ask you for some loose change.
They're human like the rest of us, it's just so the world hasn't been so kind. |
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By *apybarasCouple 9 weeks ago
High Lighthouse! |
"Looking at it from another point of view, I was homeless in my younger days. Sleeping rough or in a tent can be scary, and cold. I used to get people outside my tent causing a nuisance and trying to intimidate.
Alcohol can help alleviate the fear and give the illusion of warmth (which when you concerntrate on the cold it becomes a very long night)
Yeah but if you use alcohol to get through the night in a ten bedroom mansion it's ok.
If you're a very famous wealthy person you're 'troubled' and the world should have treated you better. Send them immediately to a comfortable rehab centre
If you're poor or homeless it's your own damn fault and you should be grateful for scraps from the rich man's table. "
Whether it's a burger, alcohol, or drugs if they use the money to make their life a little more bearable for a short while is it wrong?
I have a couple of standing orders to charities, but still find it difficult to ignore people having a shit time, and will drop a fiver. |
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By *AJMLKTV/TS 9 weeks ago
Burley |
I was a paramedic in London for many years, and no - I don't give "homeless" people on the streets either money, or will I buy them food directly. There are many reasons for this which I won't go in to, because I really can't be arsed to explain, but I do give money, and my time, to various charities who will use it in ways that will help in the long-term. |
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Always happy to buy them something, never give money. One of our sons was on the street for a while, and I’d like to think that people helped keep him fed, rather than supporting his (then) drug habit by giving him money. |
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Yes I give
No it doesn’t bother me if they use it to feed an addiction, their lives are miserable enough without adding withdrawal and my few quid isn’t going to change their circumstances and fix their life. |
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"Looking at it from another point of view, I was homeless in my younger days. Sleeping rough or in a tent can be scary, and cold. I used to get people outside my tent causing a nuisance and trying to intimidate.
Alcohol can help alleviate the fear and give the illusion of warmth (which when you concerntrate on the cold it becomes a very long night)
Yeah but if you use alcohol to get through the night in a ten bedroom mansion it's ok.
If you're a very famous wealthy person you're 'troubled' and the world should have treated you better. Send them immediately to a comfortable rehab centre
If you're poor or homeless it's your own damn fault and you should be grateful for scraps from the rich man's table.
Whether it's a burger, alcohol, or drugs if they use the money to make their life a little more bearable for a short while is it wrong?
I have a couple of standing orders to charities, but still find it difficult to ignore people having a shit time, and will drop a fiver."
I don't think it's wrong personally.
The thing about charity is that if you're on the receiving end it's other people deciding what they think it best for you. That puts a person in a position of helplessness from the start not to mention the effect it has on your confidence and self respect.
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The real issue is a lack of available and affordable housing, which like everything else in the UK, has been left to rot away and be prey to 'market forces'.
Although giving someone in chaos a roof over their head isn't the miracle cure all people think it is.
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By *apybarasCouple 9 weeks ago
High Lighthouse! |
"Looking at it from another point of view, I was homeless in my younger days. Sleeping rough or in a tent can be scary, and cold. I used to get people outside my tent causing a nuisance and trying to intimidate.
Alcohol can help alleviate the fear and give the illusion of warmth (which when you concerntrate on the cold it becomes a very long night)
Yeah but if you use alcohol to get through the night in a ten bedroom mansion it's ok.
If you're a very famous wealthy person you're 'troubled' and the world should have treated you better. Send them immediately to a comfortable rehab centre
If you're poor or homeless it's your own damn fault and you should be grateful for scraps from the rich man's table.
Whether it's a burger, alcohol, or drugs if they use the money to make their life a little more bearable for a short while is it wrong?
I have a couple of standing orders to charities, but still find it difficult to ignore people having a shit time, and will drop a fiver.
I don't think it's wrong personally.
The thing about charity is that if you're on the receiving end it's other people deciding what they think it best for you. That puts a person in a position of helplessness from the start not to mention the effect it has on your confidence and self respect.
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Quite, there is judgement wrapped up in that charity.
It's similar to the media's talking points of people on benefits having big TVs, phones etc.
The people in receipt of these benefits are adults, they determine what can improve their life, not me. |
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"
It's similar to the media's talking points of people on benefits having big TVs, phones etc.
The people in receipt of these benefits are adults, they determine what can improve their life, not me."
I don't think I'll agree with anything more this week, probably this decade |
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My thoughts are people can do what they want with their money.
I’ve only seen homeless people when I’ve gone to London on the odd occasion and no I haven’t given anything.
I do my bit though and I’m more than happy with that. We can’t help everyone unfortunately. |
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It's a shit state of affairs that so many people need help but worse that there's people who will intentionally look to cash in on others bad situations by pretending to be homeless.
Having been a victim of a fake a few years ago in London I'm very cynical,it's big organised business gangs running groups of beggars.
So unfortunately I don't i will always buy a copy of the big issue but that's as much as I do these days. |
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Thanks to all that have commented on this post it’s nice to see so many people still try and help out our humans out there on hard times especially as it’s starting to get to the cold season. I actually some weekends go to McDonald’s in Stafford and spend 50
Quid on burgers and lattes and take them round to the homeless on streets of Stafford as at moment there are a few and it’s so rewarding actually sometimes sitting down and chatting to the people to see how they have fell on hard times. And it’s very humbling as it makes me think how lucky we are as not homeless and hit what we have when it could quite easily be the other way round if we chose some of the paths they chose crazy ain’t it hey. I wish you all the best for future. If anyone in west Mids would like to sometime come with me to hand out some food and hot drinks that would be nice xx maybe even have a nice bit of fun together whilst we do xx |
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I tend to not give money but one time I was on a night out and I bought some food and this homeless guy asked me for money. I didn't have any on me so I ordered some food for him instead. I gave him the food but then he lost it and threw the food at me shouting saying he wanted the money. I could tell he wanted the money for drugs as the reaction was more on the desperation side. However I'd not give money. I'd give food or something to deal with the cold weather. Personally I feel as soon as you give money it gets used to fund their rabbit. |
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I know this may sound crap but personally wether it be myself or someone else who gives them cash yes they may well go and buy drugs or alcohol but that is what keeps there warmth in there mindset and if that ids what helps them get along a bit longer without the constant upset in their mind then so be it. We all have our own ways of coping and get things to stop us thinking of other things. That is just there way of coping. I came out of the military with nothing and hit no help from our so called government but I stepped up and started my own buisness doing car modifications on the side and now I’m ok and getting by but could of so easily been myself homeless if I didn’t so I will always try to help if I can. |
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"The real issue is a lack of available and affordable housing, which like everything else in the UK, has been left to rot away and be prey to 'market forces'.
Although giving someone in chaos a roof over their head isn't the miracle cure all people think it is.
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It can work though, search for 'Housing First'
It's an initiative that started, I think, in Finland. It gives people somewhere to live and concentrates on the support they need to keep it. It doesn't work for all but those it does work for seem to do really well.
As for available housing I read something a while ago about a lot of properties that have been built on big new estates to fulfill the 'affordable' clause in a lot of planning permission applications
These are now sitting empty because the Housing Associations that were meant to buy and run the properties haven't got the funding to buy.
If that is true it's disgusting. |
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Less so now that I never carry cash anymore. Me and my partner used to buy sleeping bags and hand them out at winter or make little Christmas packages with presents and a card and give them out to rough sleepers so they don't feel so alone at Christmas.
We've had enough on our plates last couple of years though so haven't done it recently. |
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By *loydyMan 9 weeks ago
British |
"I’ve asked this because I regularly when I’m out when I see anyone homeless I’ll either get them something hot to eat or give them some cash in hope they go get something eat although I bet they buy alcohol but at least I get the feeling of giving some help to these at some point. "
buy them a coffee never money
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"I give money to the big issues sellers because they have been checked out to be able to sell them"
Hopefully you give them the price of a mag? That's how it works and why it's set up. They can get a percentage from what they sell, and they pay for what they buy mags wise. It's a cracking system. That means they're having a licence to have a selling pitch, and they still get to claim their basic UC whilst 'working'. It's an awesome resource for anyone doing it, and they get extra support from their local offices they pick up the mags from  |
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"Bought a young lad outside Lidls an empire biscuit on Wednesday. He was very grateful which made me happy.
Seriously, nobody likes an empire biscuit? They're dry af  "
I love them but on hindsight maybe should have got him a drink as well. |
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I briefly lived on the streets of Bristol.
The days where people would bring me a cup of tea and a packet of biscuits were the best. Even though I now live in a house, I sometimes think of those tea and biscuit days as some of the best of my life.
That said, I was once kicked in the face by a woman who (without asking) bought me MacDonald's.
Now... don't get me wrong, I liked the gesture and for some people that would be a welcome meal but, I would honestly rather go hungry. I thanked her and explained that I don't eat food like that. She told me I was ungrateful, kicked me in the face and stormed off. I still have the scar over my right eye.
I get it. She did a nice thing and u rejected it but, she could have just given it to a more desperate person. I dunno...
I think it's always better to ask. Amongst other things, homeless people can have food allergies too. (Not me, I just managed to be homeless and still a bit of a snob!)
I would always advise against giving people money. Not because they might spend it on booze or drugs but, it can make them a target. Better to buy them food, a hot drink or, if you're feeling flush and it's winter, a blanket.
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There shouldnt be homeless people in 2024 really.
Billions in the national lottery account unclaimed prizes
23 billion in unclaimed benefits floating about my martins money saving expert e mail tells me..
but we spend 8 million a week on hotel bills..
when you say homeless, is that what they call a beggar , sitting on the floor with a sleeping bag and nike trainers on...
there not always homeless, the real homeless ones have actually made a temporary home from cardboard and all there belongings are with them..
i only say all this as i'll never forget the homeless one in london a few years back was suited n booted in nighclubs of a night. |
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By *ascaIMan 9 weeks ago
Cheshire Liverpool Manchester |
I did give all my leftover euros to a homeless man in Dublin last month before I left for the airport. Hope he spent it on whatever makes him happy, I’d never find out to judge him. |
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"I’ll happily give money. Unlike the majority here I don’t believe all homeless people are smack heads and even if they are they’ll get drugs with or without my £2 or whatever change I’ve got."
I do wonder how much people would give it they think it would be enough to buy drugs  . I couldn't give anywhere near that amount |
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Just my experience
Near my house, all the homeless are either drug addicts who refuse help or people with mental health issues who do not engage with any service. And unfortunately, I’ve seen them doing drugs in broad daylight. Some of them have been attentioned by the police several times.
I noticed that having money encourage their bad behaviour (being antisocial, drugs, aggressive behaviour etc), so I stopped giving any |
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I’m fortunate enough to live in a part of the country where we don’t have homeless, not that is noticeable anyway. But, I often think about homeless people and no, if I come across anyone homeless, I would get something to eat or drink for them, but wouldn’t give money. At least, with the food I know they’ve got something in their stomach |
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