Calls for crackdown on ‘ lifestyle’ beggars making £200 a day
CAREER beggars are making up to £200 a day on Scottish high streets, it has been claimed.
They have been caught pretending to be homeless and ‘duping’ people into giving them money, with some then driving home, according to officials.
In Dundee, authorities have identified 12 beggars who they know have homes and claim benefits.
Yesterday politicians called for the SNP to act to prevent people from ‘cheating the benefits system’.
Sarah Craig, manager of a Dundee city centre development project, said begging was a ‘lifestyle choice’ for many, rather than a necessity.
She said: ‘There are around 12 individuals who we deal with on a daily basis begging across Dundee city centre.
‘Every single one of them has a unique set of circumstances, life story and, more often than not, complex needs. But none of these individuals are what you would class as homeless.
‘The vast majority have homes and already receive benefits. Begging on the street is simply a lifestyle choice.’
She added: ‘The problem of so-called “career beggars” isn’t unique to Dundee, as studies carried out in other cities highlight a similar problem.
‘ Unsuspecting passersby, who often wrongly presume the beggar is homeless, throw
‘Misplaced act of kindness could kill’
in a pound coin and think no more of it. Sadly, our experience dealing with beggars in the city centre tells us that the money is not being used to buy food or a hot drink. It is being used to fund drug and alcohol habits.
‘The reality is that this misplaced act of kindness could kill.
‘My advice to anyone who wants to help those people begging on the street is to instead donate money to any one of the many local support groups and charities who can appropriate funds where they are genuinely needed.’
Other local authorities have previously voiced concerns about ‘ career beggars’. In 2014, the Scottish Govern- ment r ejected moves by Aberdeen City Council to ban begging on the streets, saying it was ‘not persuaded’ a bylaw was ‘ conducive to good rule and government’ or would help to deal with the issue.
In 2013, business chiefs in Edinburgh called for begging to be banned from the city centre to enhance the shopping quarter. However, this too was rejected.
Glasgow City Council has also previously supported action to introduce bylaws to prevent people from begging on the streets. Officials in Dundee said they knew of one man who makes up to £200 a day begging on the streets before driving home.
Councillor Will Dawson, convener of Dundee City Council’s city development committee, said people were being ‘duped’ into donating money.
He said: ‘I am aware of one elderly woman who was being duped into giving a man £40 to £50 a week in the belief that he was homeless. She believed her kindness would give him at least one night a week in a bed and breakfast.
‘In fact, we know that the money was spent on drugs before he headed home to a tenancy at the end of the day. That £50 was far better in her pocket than in his.’
As begging is not against the law, police officers cannot move beggars on unless they are causing a disturbance. However, they can offer support and advise those on the street of where they may seek help.
Last night, Scottish Conservative welfare spokesman John Lamont said :‘ It is worrying to see a trend in socalled“career beggars” appearing on our streets. These people are selfish in that they ruin the system for those who are in genuine need and facing hardship.
‘Many people will be angry when they discover they’re giving t heir hard- earned money to someone who is cheating the benefits system.’
The Scottish Government was not able to comment last night because of election purdah rules.
SOMEONE sitting hunched on a street in the worst the Scottish weather can throw at them is a heart-rending sight – and many of us respond by dropping a pound or two into the proffered coffee cup. But we cannot help but wonder about the result of our small act of kindness. Are we unwittingly funding a drink or drug habit? Will our coins make things worse, not better?
Now there is news of a more disturbing phenomenon: the lifestyle beggar.
These so- called ‘career beggars’ are making perhaps as much as £200 a day.
Officials say some have been caught pretending to be homeless, fooling people into giving them money – with some then driving home at the end of their ‘shift’ on our streets.
In Dundee alone, 12 beggars are known to have homes and to be claiming benefits. Sarah Craig, manager of a Dundee city centre development project, said: ‘Every single one of them has a unique set of circumstances, life story and, more often than not, complex needs. But none of these individuals are what you would class as homeless. ‘The vast majority have homes and already receive benefits. Begging on the street is simply a lifestyle choice.’
The welfare and benefits system in this country is, while not perfect, well-funded and comprehensive. People abusing both the system and kind-hearted members of the public in this fashion strike at a fundamental trust and must be stopped.