In this blog one of our support workers explores some common opinions about begging, specifically in relation to whether it is right or helpful to give money to people who beg.
When I tell people what I do for a living, it tends to invite questions. You can be pretty sure that just one question comes up time and time again; “should we give money to people who beg?” It’s a fair question; there’s so much media coverage giving us conflicting stories that it’s no wonder that people are unsure. There are those who don’t wish to do more harm than good, and there are those who don’t want to give money to those who they feel don’t justify it. Either way, it’s clear that a lot of people don’t know what the right approach is.
There’s a common belief that money gained through begging will most likely be spent on drugs and alcohol, and that by giving someone money, you are perpetuating an addiction and prolonging a life of misery and hardship. The other common opinion is that if a person is reduced to sitting on a cold wet pavement, and asking total strangers if they can spare any change, that persons need is significant enough to justify helping them financially, regardless of what the circumstances might be.
So, to give or not to give? The answer is; both of these are correct. There is no black and white here; there are thousands of shades in between, and the answer will vary from person to person and from one day to the next. The truth is, there are no right or wrong answers, just different perspectives. Let me clarify what I mean with some specific examples:
Denise is a heroin user. Recently she decided she wants to stop using, and I supported her to access recovery services. Getting her to that first appointment was hard, because the initial process can be lengthy, and before too long she would start to experience withdrawal symptoms which were acute enough to make her too unwell to stick around and engage with the service. We had a few appointments that fell through at the last minute as Denise was too unwell due to a need for heroin. On the day that she finally managed to get there, she had gained enough money to cover her needs, and it meant that we were able to get her linked in with a service that could work with her in the long term to reduce and eliminate her need for drugs for good. Sure, the money Denise made that day did go towards drugs, but this provided what she needed on that day in order to engage with recovery services and tackle the problem in the long term.
Charlie desperately needed hospital treatment. He couldn’t wait around in hospital for hours because of his heroin dependency. A day eventually came where he managed to obtain enough money through begging to tide him over. When he got to hospital and received treatment, not only was he able to get the treatment he needed, but the hospital was able to provide methadone, and directly referred him to a drug recovery service upon discharge.
The “money for drugs” debate seems to be the most discussed issue, but I hope I haven’t given the impression that all people who beg spend it on drugs. I have worked with many people who beg for other reasons.
Mike sits and begs most mornings to get enough money together to go and buy a coffee and a breakfast, which also gives him the chance to sit somewhere warm while he eats. He is not a drug user, and he only ever begs to earn the money to meet a certain need, he will stop begging when he has made enough to meet that need. This is true of pretty much all the people I have worked with who beg; there is a specific need, and once that need is met, they stop.
During evening outreach with a colleague recently, we approached a man who we had not seen before. He didn’t know that we were workers, so he asked us for money so he could get something to eat. We politely declined to give him money, but we told him there was a nearby food project running that evening serving warm meals. The happiness on his face and in his voice as he asked us for directions to get there made it clear to anyone that he really was begging for food, and that he was happy he could access that right away with no further need to beg. Once we gave him the directions he gathered his things together and walked in that direction with speed and determination.
Last Christmas, Darren was begging, and was given £40 by a passer-by who wanted to embrace the meaning of “season of good will”. Darren spent this money on a hotel room for the night, and was animated when he relayed the story to me of how nice it was to wake up in comfort and warmth on Christmas day. Darren has since passed away, and it makes me smile to think that his last ever Christmas was a good one for him.
To me, there seems to be an assumption within the begging debate that the donation of a passer-by is the be all and end all, and will directly impact what happens next. A specific need will not disappear because of a lack of funds gained through begging, and sometimes this can lead to people exploring other resources. People are sometimes motivated to resort to unsafe activities, whether that is criminal activity, or offering themselves for exploitation in a wide variety of ways, sexual exploitation being the most common. This is not to suggest that the general public be held to ransom to protect those who beg and those around them, but in terms of the “doing more harm than good” debate, I think it is fair to suggest that if you are looking for the option that minimises harm, giving money to those who beg might achieve this.
This is not my attempt to suggest that people should always give money to those who beg. I also feel it’s important to say that I do not support the policy of funding a drug habit. I do not condone drug use; I just don’t condemn it either. I’ve focused on issues and case studies here that demonstrate why it’s not always a bad thing because that seems to be the most debated element of this issue, but I do agree that there are some situations where giving money could be unwise or harmful. I realise that this is probably a really unhelpful way to wind up this case study, and I could sit here and write about this all day and still not reach a clear conclusion, so instead I’ve decided to end with a list of guidelines for those who still aren’t sure about what they should do for the best:
• It’s your money. Do with it as you please. If you see someone begging and get a feeling that you would like to give some money, feel able to do so. If you don’t feel that it’s the right thing to do, walk by and don’t feel any guilt or obligation. We are all free to do what we like with our money.
• Hold your own opinion, whatever that may be, and allow others to do the same. No one should ever feel criticised for giving money to those who beg, and no one should ever feel pressured into giving their money away, no matter what the cause.
• If you find yourself in a situation where you feel you want to give money to someone who’s begging, do so if you wish, but don’t punish yourself by worrying about what might come of it. Similarly, don’t feel bad about what might happen if you decide not to give and walk on by, not giving money isn’t a bad thing. Basically, if it feels right, do it, if it doesn’t, don’t!
• Begging doesn’t have to be all about the money. Some people prefer to offer food or a warm drink, clothing, or just a kind word. All of these things can be valuable and helpful, but my advice is that if you decide to give, whatever you decide to give, ask the person if it’s what they actually want. The people we work with commonly tell us that it’s a positive experience for them if a person consults them before bestowing aid or support upon them, not so much because they wish to be consulted on whether they want a coffee or not, but because it shows that someone cares about their wishes and feelings, and has respect for their opinion and dignity.
• You may sometimes see a person begging who has a dog. Many of us are animal lovers and it may seem like a kind gesture to offer the person money or food for their dog. I know that this is offered with good intentions, but it can be quite demoralising for someone to think that people care more for their dog than for a fellow human being. If you do decide you want to buy some biscuits for Rover, maybe just demonstrate a similar gesture of support for the person who’s begging.
• Not all homeless people beg, and not all people who beg are homeless. Try not to get too tied up in deciding whether a person is “genuine” or not. I have met many people who beg who have had widely different circumstances, and no, not all of them have been homeless. One thing they have had in common though is extraordinary life circumstances, desperation, and a need. If you don’t feel it’s right, don’t give, but try not to link begging and homelessness together as they are two separate issues that cross-over sometimes but not always. For the record though, I can confirm that I am yet to meet one of these fabled beggars that walks away and drives off in his Mercedes!
• And lastly; the experience of seeing someone begging can make some people angry. It might invoke thoughts of not trying or poor life choices, and those people may feel that they have to speak out. If you can, try and just walk on by. Grumble about it at home over a cup of tea, but saying how you feel to the person who is begging isn’t going to change anything. Ultimately we all have our own paths to tread and some are rockier than others. It’s true that some people don’t always make the best life choices, but surely that’s true for all of us, regardless of our circumstances.