Beggars in the UK

Soldato
Joined
29 Dec 2012
Posts
4,080
Beggars in the UK is it becoming more common?

I've seen it in other countries but Its something I thought I would never see in the UK.
I'm seeing more and more beggars, originally it was one or two foreign beggars in larger city's but now I've also been seeing more and white English speaking beggars both men and women.

today I've seen about 5 on one road, in odd places, middle of the road, near tragic lights ext.

It just gets me thinking
Has something changed.
Are people in need or is it a scam.
Should I give money or not.
Would I be helping or funding a criminal ?

What are your thought.
 
Soldato
Joined
27 Apr 2012
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3,689
Location
London
Yeah it is becoming more common because they found out that they can make more money begging than working.
Also some people claiming benefits can make more money than some working ones.
 
Man of Honour
Joined
13 Oct 2006
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90,816
I've always seen some - my home town centre usually has 3-5 hanging about with bedding in doorways, etc. and I see easily a dozen while out when I lived in London, elsewhere not seen them quite as much though. I can't say around here I've seen much change maybe a slight increase under the current Tory government but not massively so.

I'd say probably only 20-30% are genuinely disadvantaged and in need of help getting back on their feet though - a certain percentage are there by choice - some of them running scams - and some people just end up back there no matter how much help they get.

If you genuinely want to help then there are several charities that deal with them who always need people and/or while easier said than done the best thing is to get talking to them see what they need - the genuine ones mostly don't mind the company and will appreciate things like food, etc. rather than necessarily money, those desperate for money probably have some pretty serious drug addictions.
 
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Associate
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22 Jul 2004
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Well we've all heard about the divide between rich and poor increasing, immigration and land being held back instead of new housing being built. What do you think's going to happen?
 
Soldato
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ST4
There are loads of the parasites around here. They've recently taken to sitting right next to cash machines, with some standing menacingly behind or next to people asking for money as they try to use the machine. Had one try it on with me at a cash point at Sainsburys in Stoke, when I refused to draw him some cash out and asked him politely to **** off he threatened to stab me with a dirty needle. :D
 
Associate
Joined
22 Jul 2004
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1,332
There are loads of the parasites around here. They've recently taken to sitting right next to cash machines, with some standing menacingly behind or next to people asking for money as they try to use the machine. Had one try it on with me at a cash point at Sainsburys in Stoke, when I refused to draw him some cash out and asked him politely to **** off he threatened to stab me with a dirty needle. :D
That sums up the way this country is going. Try to use a cash point and get threatened with AIDS. Meanwhile rich suits and posh sods are sitting at home, nonchalantly balance transferring hundreds of thousands at a time without a care in the world. That could have been me if I'd have played my Bitcoin chips right. Infectious, this capitalism stuff.
 
Soldato
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Rollergirl
The area around Glasgow Central Station has become really bad for this, with people all over the pavement and doorways. It's very sad to see, as it's no way for a human being to exist. As a main transportation route, this could very well be a visitor's first impression of the city.

They are all someone's son, someone's daughter. As a parent it frightens and saddens in equal measure when I see this. I can't imagine living like that, it's utter desperation.

Having said all that, I never give any money. It could easily lead to being robbed. I was in Aberdeen a few weeks back, standing at the bus station with a bottle of Oasis in my hand and a jakey extended his hand asking for the juice. I was offended at that.

There are numerous reasons why this needs to be tackled by government, it shouldn't be the responsibility of volunteer groups and charities.
 
Soldato
Joined
27 Jun 2006
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12,354
Location
Not here
Plenty around Birmingham and now the surrounding areas, even little towns which never seen beggers since the Victorian days are getting 3 or 4 of them on doorways.....IN 2018!!!!! What is it going to be like in 5 years time.

England, the country of freedom and moving forward. With all the political stuff going on and more homeless on the streets we are starting to turn into a 3rd world country.
 
Caporegime
Joined
26 Dec 2003
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25,666
Not just beggars there's been quite a few armed robberies and numerous raids on buildings growing millions of pounds worth of cannabis, crime in general seems to have shot up.
 
Associate
Joined
4 Jan 2004
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Location
Finally, Swindon
Swindon's got a poor enough image as it is, and it's definitely got worse. Unfortunately, most of them hang out on the way from the railway station to the shopping centre, so if you arrive by train, your preconceptions are reinforced

It appears that most of these people are from out of town and arrive by train, looking grubby and rucksacked up....and the first people they then meet are ones in similar circumstances. Seems this is the only sort of folk that find swindon attractive!

The council have tried to introduce no drinking areas and it's had some effect, but it's like squeezing a balloon. As above, lots of them beg by cashpoints and parking ticket machines

Some of the multi storey car parks are their homes, and while most of them are surprisingly polite, once they are smacked out on drugs, who knows how they are going to behave. Lots of women in my office feel very frightened and vulnerable using these places
 
Caporegime
Joined
8 Sep 2005
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29,917
Location
Norrbotten, Sweden.
I live in a small town in very north Sweden and we have a community of professional beggers from Romania.

They come here as soon as the winter subsides and take up residence in a small set of trailer type caravans and live in carparks, or out on the land. Swedish law on trespass land ownership is vastly different to the UK.

There's 1 beggers assigned to each supermarket, off-licence, burger joint, shopping center doorway. It's a precise operation.

It's usually a women. Rarely a young man but if it is they play the "retard card"

They sit 12 hours a day hand out saying, please please, in English.

Swedish people are some of the nievist but generous I have ever met. I'd say on average they get about 200 to 300 SEK per hour. That's 20 or 30 quid ph. More than I'm paid.....

At the end of the day my local beggers changes out of her beggers clothes into an addidas tracksuit, gets her iPhone out and rings her gang leader to come collect her. She leaves her begging kit in an IKEA bag in a wheely bin at my appartment block. ( I often make sure to empty my shittyest compost all over and in it)

So it's this x10 people. All day long. Living rent free.

People have followed them home, found their Facebook pages. They have a fleet of mercedes and other high end cars. There is literally pictures of them holding wads of fanned out notes money and drinking from bottles of cliché champagne, partying in their caravans.

They do it day in day out. My local one is also very good at fake crying when she gets a 100 or 200kr note....

Can't say a word against it thpugh because that is "racist"

There was a police report that Somone had taken a couple of shots at one of their cars parked on the outskirts of town. Which is scarey but sickly satisfying.

I despise these people. Literally nothing but parasites sucking from the good hearted Swedish people. I tell mine to loudly f off if she starts her routine on me, usually raises a few eyebrows.


Wall of text and not in uk. GG.
 
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Associate
Joined
5 Jan 2011
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658
Manchester City Centre is rife with homeless/beggars. I don’t even go near Piccadilly Gardens anymore as it’s so bad. I often try buying food for those that look hungry and they almost always refuse - they want cash for spice. It’s got little to do with politics, it’s just that those people previously at home living on benefits 24/7 for no reason and smoking weed have been forced out. Every single homeless person in Manchester could have a job earning £20k on Monday if they wanted, however most of them will never change
 
Soldato
Joined
23 Oct 2002
Posts
13,597
I watched a prog about an ex officer who left the forces, made a mint, then tried to give something back to society. He chose beggars/homeless and he found that a high proportion of those on the street were ex forces. Most had mental issue with their time in the forces and some who had been in the forces for years could not cope with civilian life. Apparently due to the fact that their time in the forces is planned and having to do everything themselves means some do not cope with the transition and flounder.
Drugs also seem to play an important part in homelessness as people become addicted and sell what they have for their addiction.
Govt economic policy, the 'trickle up theory' and welfare cuts play a part also.
 
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