Homelessness is rising and many of us are keen to help, but unsure of the best way to do it. Are there pitfalls to giving money directly to a rough sleeper? We speak to charities and people who’ve been homeless to find out.
We are in the midst of a homelessness crisis.
For the second year in a row, England reported an increase in rough sleeping. An estimated 3,898 people were living without shelter on a single night in autumn 2023 – a rise of 27% on the previous year.
The number of people sleeping rough is 61% higher than it was 10 years ago, and 120% higher than when data collection began in 2010.
And while most people are aware of the harsh realities facing rough sleepers – especially as the colder months draw in – there remains confusion about how to help.
Some people are concerned giving cash directly will provide only temporary relief; others argue there’s nothing wrong with offering some respite.
Another argument against giving money directly is that it could fuel addiction – but is that risk overstated?
Even charities are split on the best way to help.
The Salvation Army has previously said handing cash directly risks “trapping” people in the “endless cycle” of homelessness and rough sleeping.
The charity’s director of homeless services, Nick Redmore, said the root causes of homelessness were complex but that they were often the result of a relationship breakdown, mental health issues, addiction or childhood abuse.
“Members of the public are right to be concerned and we applaud anyone who tries to help when they see another person in distressing circumstances,” he said.
“Giving money to someone sleeping rough is a personal choice, but this will only ever help ease their immediate need. Sadly, it won’t end their rough sleeping.”
In researching this article, we conducted a poll of thousands of followers on LinkedIn – and the results suggest the public are reluctant to hand over cash…
‘I’ve been there – this is why you should give cash directly’
Leigh Fontaine, service manager at the homeless charity St Mungo’s, found himself homeless for about four months after he was evicted with short notice from a property he had been renting.
Now, a decade later, the 38-year-old said giving money to a homeless person was a choice, but it was a “really great opportunity to have a human interaction”.
He said: “I don’t think that giving somebody £2 or £3 is going to solve homelessness but it does give an opportunity for somebody to have respite and comfort in a period that’s really difficult.
“Sometimes giving someone money here or there can help alleviate the pressures of living on the street.
“I don’t think people always comprehend how difficult it is to live on the streets.
“When I was homeless, I spent a number of nights out before I could approach a member of the public. When you’re experiencing homelessness, you feel undignified and it strips away your humanity. It’s really embarrassing to have to ask for help.
“A lot of the time I came across people that were rude or dismissive and maybe put some of those judgements about drug and alcohol on you.
“For those few people that did give me money and did engage with me in conversation, it was really humanising.”
Leigh said that while it was not a myth that homeless people could use cash for drink and drugs, those concerned about how their money would be spent could instead donate to a regulated homelessness charity.
He added: “I think it would be a lie to ignore the fact that a large population of homeless people are still struggling with drug and drunk addiction, but it’s an addiction, it’s an illness and it’s a support need.
“And somebody having addiction needs should not be a barrier to helping people that are in need.”
Geoff Hawkins, 56, became homeless 11 years ago and now lives in a Salvation Army lifehouse in Warrington.
He said the idea that giving money to homeless people fuelled their drink and drug use was not fair.
“I’m not saying that there weren’t people who were doing it… but the people I met on the streets were just in the worst predicament of their lives,” he said.
‘Giving food, or to a charity, is the best way to help’
Claire Sullivan, from Trinity Homeless Projects in London, said there was “no right or wrong” when it came to choosing whether to give money directly to homeless people on the street.
“If you want to buy someone food – buy them food,” she said.
Ms Sullivan said it was also worth asking the rough sleeper if they were receiving any help.
“You might be their first conversation of the day and you might be their biggest support network just by offering to help,” she added.
“With money, it is a controversial conversation and my answer is if you are going to give money to someone who is homeless, give it to a charity like ours because £10 goes a long way.”
Ms Sullivan said £10 could provide 10 people with a meal, new pillows or bedding.
When it comes to other costs, an emergency hostel was around £400 a week and supportive living accommodation was around £250 a week, she added.
‘It really could be you’
Geoff and Leigh shared their own stories of homelessness in the hope people will realise it could happen to anyone.
Geoff said he had been an “everyday man” before he lost his job and it all “went pear shaped”.
The father-of-five, who suffers from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and arthritis, was a council worker for more than 35 years.
After a medical at work, his health was deemed too poor and he had to leave his job. This led to the breakdown of his 20-year marriage and mental health struggles.
With no savings, Geoff was suddenly “homeless and sleeping in a tent”, before eventually finding a place at the Salvation Army’s hostel.
“I went out to work and then came home and that’s when it happened,” he said. “It can all go downhill in a heartbeat.”
Recalling life on the street, Geoff said: “It is one of the worst things you can be in. Walking around every night worrying who’s at the back of you and who’s at the front of you.
“You think it’s horrible through the day but then the night comes and you’re walking through the streets freezing to death.”
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Geoff said he was now in a better place and taking it “day by day”.
“I’m getting there slowly and things are looking better,” he added. “I’m doing volunteering now in the kitchen here and I’m putting in for other jobs like litter picking too.”
Leigh said rough sleepers often faced barriers by not having an ID card, basic documents, a bank account or an address.
“Once you are in that cycle of rough sleeping, you are entrenched in it,” he said.
“It is quite difficult to get yourself out of that.”
Leigh tells a story of “bad timing and bad luck”.
“I had just finished university at the time and I was on jobseeker’s allowance so I didn’t have money for a deposit,” he said.
“I’m sure people reading this will think they’re not going to find themselves homeless but it was literally a three-month period of just one bad event after the other.
“I come from a working class background and my family is not wealthy. At the time I was estranged so there wasn’t a lot of other support for me to fall back on.”
Leigh said for the majority of this time he was “hidden homeless”, sofa surfing with friends and crashing at warehouse parties just to avoid the streets.
It only ended for him when he became unwell and had to go to hospital.
What help is there for rough sleepers day-to-day?
Leigh said a local day centre in your area was one option and another was to contact StreetLink, but help is not immediate.
At St Mungo’s, £65 could help a frontline worker reach someone sleeping rough and £29 could help provide essentials for someone at a St Mungo’s hostel.
“I think homelessness is 100% solvable,” he said.
“I think what happened during the pandemic was a testament to that.
“It was really sad to see some of the amazing things like COVID response hotels dissolve once the pandemic was over. A lot of these people had to go on to the street.”
