City where just one in 10 beggars is sleeping rough

BEGGARS are a familiar sight in our towns and cities, asking for spare change to help them survive on the streets.

But in one city, a survey of beggars has found that just one in ten of those seeking money from the public were actually homeless.

Of 52 people asking for cash in Nottingham, only five were sleeping rough. The majority of the rest either had their own home or were living with friends or relatives.

The survey by homeless charity Framework comes two years after police found that 65 per cent of people arrested in Birmingham for begging had a roof over their heads.

Those who are caught persistently begging are set to be fined up to £200 in a crackdown by the authorities, while anti-social behaviour orders are being used to ban beggars from certain parts of the city.

Jason Marriott, of Framework, said: ‘This research appears to confirm what we have long suggested – that rough sleeping and begging are not the same thing. That isn’t to say that people who beg don’t need help because in most cases they certainly do. What matters most, however, is that they get the right kind of help for the problems they are facing.’

John Louth, who has been homeless in Nottingham since September, said he thought some beggars were exploiting Good Samaritans.

The 43-year- old, who is originally from the Sherwood area of the city, added: ‘There are some people who you see begging every day who go back to houses at night.

‘Some of them really frustrate me, because they make people question those legitimately in need of help.

‘It’s the prerogative of the person donating the money. I never ask someone for cash, or food.

‘I know I’m not spending it on drugs,

‘It’s an increasing problem’

it’s up to them to trust me. People are good-natured and if they offer me some loose change or a coffee I’m not going to say no.’

Mr Louth was himself fined £90 for begging and said it was unfair.

Nottinghamshire Police and the city council are encouraging people to endorse charities rather than give directly to beggars.

Inspector Paul Gummer, of Nottinghamshire Police, said: ‘It’s a really terrible lifestyle that no one should have to live. But giving them money can

just as easily perpetuate the issue. We were always aware of the issue of street begging in Nottingham city centre, but we had about 20 individuals on the radar so the Framework survey suggests it is an increasing problem.’

It is an offence to beg in a public place and beggars can be arrested, potentially facing a fine of up to £1,000. Busking in itself is not illegal, although it may be an offence under local byelaws or orders.

Changes to anti-social behaviour laws mean they can now be used to ban people from begging in certain areas.

Last month, Nottingham magistrates fined four people for begging offences in one day, with only one of no fixed address.

On May 15, Martyn Marshall, of The Meadows estate, was ordered to pay £505 including costs for two offences while James Dade, of Lenton, and Gemma Peat, from the nearby town of Eastwood, were each ordered to pay £200 plus costs of £105. Claire Graham, 31, of no fixed address, was fined £205 including costs.

Studies have shown that more than 85 per cent of beggars have a drug or alcohol problem and take to the streets to fund their habit. In the eight-week police crackdown in Birmingham in 2013, 28 people were arrested on suspicion of begging – and all failed drug tests.

Anti- slavery commissioner Kevin Hyland warned last month that children were being sent out on to the streets by criminal gangs that forced them to beg, shoplift and pickpocket.