1 mile 22 beggars

As Scotland’s homelessness problem spirals out of control, our special report reveals the suffering of the people behind the figures..in their own words

Charities have called for action to help people reduced to begging as the numbers living on the streets of Scotland soar.

An investigation by the Sunday Mail found dozens of people – most of them homeless – begging in the best-known and most affluent shopping streets of our cities.

There was one person begging every 75 metres along the so-called Style Mile which takes in Argyle Street, Buchanan Street and Sauchiehall Street in Glasgow – 22 beggars in a single mile

A dozen more set up their pitches in the mile along Princes Street in Edinburgh. Further desperate cases were found in Aberdeen.

But most of the people we spoke to said they only resorted to begging out of sheer desperation.

Research last week showed the number of Scots classed as homeless is expected to rocket by more than 50 per cent in the next 25 years.

Alison Watson, deputy director of Shelter Scotland, said yesterday: “Very few people, if any, choose to live on the streets.

“We’ve heard more people are begging simply to make ends meet as low wages, zero-hours contracts, benefit cuts and sanctions leave people penniless.”

Homeless Action Scotland boss Gavin Yates added: “Anyone who walks the streets of our major towns or cities can see for themselves how stark and real both rough sleeping and the wider issues of homelessness are.

“We’ve asked the Scottish Government to implement a plan to end the use of both night shelters and B&Bs in the lifetime of this parliament.

“Mental health provision, debt advice and, crucially, a better benefits system, also need to be in place – and available.”

In the next four pages, we highlight the struggles of those directly affected by homelessness.