Why are there so many beggars in London, England?

Question

There are more beggars here than other cities I've lived(in Europe, Asia and Afirca), yet all English are far better off, they are entitled to social security and housing. There is day centres with free food etc. and nightly soup runs so its impossible to starve. So why do they beg, ARE THEY TAKING THE p**s?

Answer 1

We aren't 'entitled' to housing and social security is no longer in existence. there is job seekers allowance and you need a home to get it. You cannot use the job centre as an address. Housing has enormous waiting lists and you often need a diagnosed problem, children etc to be prioritised. I work in social housing trust me, it's very hard to get a home compared to the number of people who need one.

Answer 2

Many homeless people suffer from mental illness, although the mental health provisions in this country are far from adequate, in many of the places you mentioned those people are locked away or worse, quietly removed from society......Its not perfect here but lets not use Africa as a yard stick.

Answer 3

Don't worry. Come 2012, they will be quietly moved on or arrested. Why so many despite the services for them? They need to supplement their income.

Answer 4

They have most likely been pushed out of their jobs by eastern europeans on less than minimum wage. You are also wrong, they can't claim social security without a fixed address, learn your facts.

Answer 5

Many have mental health problems and many are addicted to drugs. London is a massive city.

Answer 6

I used to live in Hong Kong and used to see a lot more beggars over there...

There are a lot in London, its almost a profession and some of them do quite well out of it.  But I've never seen any of them be agressive, they're only ever really kind, polite and friendly to me, so I'm not sure why they're being aggressive to you.  Maybe you need to chill out or something!

Answer 7

perhaps because no matter how well of we are as a society there will always be those less well off than everyone else?

Answer 8

A friend of mine I spent time in childrens homes with spent seven years on London streets, living in doorways.  For the first few years he didn't bother to claim benefits.  He begged enough to buy a drink and something to eat and slept in doorways.  He certainly wouldn't have made enough to justify commuting in.   Many homeless have mental health or cognitive issues.  Alcohol is but a symptom.

If your not a rough sleeper, be grateful.  Although it's not over yet.

Answer 9

Not sure were you have been in asia if you think there are more beggars in london, not from my experience.

Answer 10

homeless people from across the whole country go to london as it's easier to get things in london becuase its such a big city. this means theres homeless people from the whole of the uk in london

Answer 11

The many beggers you see on the streets of London are not Londoners.  Most are probably immigrants waiting for their claim for asylum to be assessed. Some may even be illegals who have run out of time and money and are just surviving by begging.

Do not give money to beggers.

http://golondon.about.com/od/personalsaf...

The Vatican says that begging is a human right.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment...

Most Londoners are sick and tired of beggers - we don't give them money and neither should our visitors.

Lets clear these beggers from our streets.

How did we deal with beggers in the past?

Beggers of 18thC London

https://uhra.herts.ac.uk/dspace/bitstrea...

Answer 12

Started when Maggie was in charge never stopped since.  

Answer 13

there is less oppurtunities

so less jobs usually those people who are more wealthier e than others there kids get the jobs and the less fortunate people dont its unlucky

but there is places like that

in america there is many oppurtunities

so less homeless\

Answer 14

A lot of them have habits to feed, such as alcohol and drugs in which they don't get any money off the government for.

Many of these people have already had housing benefit but couldn't afford to keep the house in a livable state ending up being evicted and no other housing association is willing to take them in,

With no fixed address many beggars find it hard to claim social security benefits so begging is all they have.

Answer 15

alot of beggars in london earn more in one day than you might do in a week  

Answer 16

I remember reading a serious feature about how beggars commute to London on day return tickets from other cities because they do so well there. Of course, some people are in deep trouble, but others are merely work shy or find they can do better this way. In a search for the article about commuting beggars, I came across this, which I thought I would share> http://www.zipadeeday.com/viewarticle.as...