I feel like giving homeless people cash would be a bad thing, But at least they are doing a study and have a good comparison which I expect will do much better.
> The other half will get additional help from Greater Change, whose support workers will discuss their financial problems then pay for items such as rent deposits, outstanding debts, work equipment, white goods, furniture or new clothes. They do not make direct transfers to avoid benefits being stopped due to a cash influx.
WantsToDieBadly on
Doesn’t every homeless support group and charity say this doesnt work?
Not to sound heartless but i expect to see more street drinkers with their rutgot cider.
[deleted] on
[removed]
Car-Nivore on
Will this not lead to more OD’ing on our streets and being found next morning in a shop doorway by staff opening up?
Would it not be better to spend the cash on safe areas, with clean equipment and some sort of medical overwatch for addicts to get high, etc?
Ok_Reply_2508 on
just give them a bag of smack cut out the middle man
DonGibon87 on
That’s the opposite of “give someone a fish and you feed him for a day, teach someone how to fish and you feed him for life”
MediocreWitness726 on
They should put them in hotels and give them free mobiles and private health care.
Dwengo on
This is going to go down well. Most homeless people are drug users either as a result of being homeless or otherwise. Who can guess where that money is going?
Manor_park_E12 on
Or you know, you could stick them in hotels as they sort their lives out, just a thought.
eggpoowee on
Right, just going to say it
I don’t think this is the best way to go forward, you’re setting yourself up for this money to be squandered,
To give someone everything when they’ve had nothing for so long, it’s going to be like having a dog with two dicks.
Now I’m not saying all of these people will waste their money, but when there is un underlying issue with substance and alcohol abuse amongst the homeless, it just doesn’t seem like the wisest idea
Surely giving these people a place to reside, support to get themselves on their feet, a job, security and a place where they can cook and fuel themselves , would be more beneficial in this situation?
Throwing money at these people, to me, is a very short term, short sighted plan that will fail overall, the government really need to focus on giving these people a strong foundation to work off, some of these people have been left, forgotten, out of societal norms for decades and you’re expecting them to fall back in line once they’ve got a few quid in their pockets? Nah, it won’t work that way, I know full well that if it was me in that situation, I wouldn’t know where to start!
What I do know is that without any fixed address, a lot of employers won’t employ someone….so there is that for a start
I don’t know, this has turned somewhat into a rant on my part, whilst I appreciate that this is a means to help, I just don’t feel it’s sustainable and that a lot of people will find themselves back at square one a few weeks later
LS2595 on
Give them access to food banks and fund them hotels or accommodation. We don’t mind paying a few quid or two extra if it’d helping put the homeless. All rich business should chip in to fund a scheme with the government. More then enough money to solve the problem.
ffekete on
“I’ll give you £20 to fuck off”
Narrator: they didn’t fuck off, they came back the next day for more
Firm-Distance on
I used to work as a constable in a large city centre – primarily on foot patrol.
A regular task was being called to deal with homeless individuals who were causing issues – such as fighting, screaming and shouting in the street, urinating in the street, stealing from shops – etc, etc.
Obviously over time you get to know them, their issues, their backgrounds – etc. Unfortunately *most* of them (if not all) have some sort of substance addiction – usually alcohol and/or heroin. If handed cash, by the admission of the ones I’d speak to – that would typically go straight on drugs and if it leaves them with £0 that’s fine because you can still get fed by:
* Stealing
* Attending charitable centres that provide free meals
* Waiting for various charitable outreach teams to come around with soup / sandwiches
* Sitting outside Tesco and waiting for someone to buy you a sandwich
Obviously from their perspective this makes sense – you *can* get free food by stealing or being given it. You cannot *really* get free drugs – and if you do get free drugs by stealing there’s a good chance you’re going to get stabbed/killed.
I really don’t think handing out cash to them is the answer based on my own experiences here – however, this is a trial and so I’d imagine by the end of the trial they’ll have a bit more data and be able to conclude *this does not work.*
Fellowes321 on
So they can sit there as little cash machines for the unscrupulous? Not sure this makes them any safer.
14 Comments
I feel like giving homeless people cash would be a bad thing, But at least they are doing a study and have a good comparison which I expect will do much better.
> The other half will get additional help from Greater Change, whose support workers will discuss their financial problems then pay for items such as rent deposits, outstanding debts, work equipment, white goods, furniture or new clothes. They do not make direct transfers to avoid benefits being stopped due to a cash influx.
Doesn’t every homeless support group and charity say this doesnt work?
Not to sound heartless but i expect to see more street drinkers with their rutgot cider.
[removed]
Will this not lead to more OD’ing on our streets and being found next morning in a shop doorway by staff opening up?
Would it not be better to spend the cash on safe areas, with clean equipment and some sort of medical overwatch for addicts to get high, etc?
just give them a bag of smack cut out the middle man
That’s the opposite of “give someone a fish and you feed him for a day, teach someone how to fish and you feed him for life”
They should put them in hotels and give them free mobiles and private health care.
This is going to go down well. Most homeless people are drug users either as a result of being homeless or otherwise. Who can guess where that money is going?
Or you know, you could stick them in hotels as they sort their lives out, just a thought.
Right, just going to say it
I don’t think this is the best way to go forward, you’re setting yourself up for this money to be squandered,
To give someone everything when they’ve had nothing for so long, it’s going to be like having a dog with two dicks.
Now I’m not saying all of these people will waste their money, but when there is un underlying issue with substance and alcohol abuse amongst the homeless, it just doesn’t seem like the wisest idea
Surely giving these people a place to reside, support to get themselves on their feet, a job, security and a place where they can cook and fuel themselves , would be more beneficial in this situation?
Throwing money at these people, to me, is a very short term, short sighted plan that will fail overall, the government really need to focus on giving these people a strong foundation to work off, some of these people have been left, forgotten, out of societal norms for decades and you’re expecting them to fall back in line once they’ve got a few quid in their pockets? Nah, it won’t work that way, I know full well that if it was me in that situation, I wouldn’t know where to start!
What I do know is that without any fixed address, a lot of employers won’t employ someone….so there is that for a start
I don’t know, this has turned somewhat into a rant on my part, whilst I appreciate that this is a means to help, I just don’t feel it’s sustainable and that a lot of people will find themselves back at square one a few weeks later
Give them access to food banks and fund them hotels or accommodation. We don’t mind paying a few quid or two extra if it’d helping put the homeless. All rich business should chip in to fund a scheme with the government. More then enough money to solve the problem.
“I’ll give you £20 to fuck off”
Narrator: they didn’t fuck off, they came back the next day for more
I used to work as a constable in a large city centre – primarily on foot patrol.
A regular task was being called to deal with homeless individuals who were causing issues – such as fighting, screaming and shouting in the street, urinating in the street, stealing from shops – etc, etc.
Obviously over time you get to know them, their issues, their backgrounds – etc. Unfortunately *most* of them (if not all) have some sort of substance addiction – usually alcohol and/or heroin. If handed cash, by the admission of the ones I’d speak to – that would typically go straight on drugs and if it leaves them with £0 that’s fine because you can still get fed by:
* Stealing
* Attending charitable centres that provide free meals
* Waiting for various charitable outreach teams to come around with soup / sandwiches
* Sitting outside Tesco and waiting for someone to buy you a sandwich
Obviously from their perspective this makes sense – you *can* get free food by stealing or being given it. You cannot *really* get free drugs – and if you do get free drugs by stealing there’s a good chance you’re going to get stabbed/killed.
I really don’t think handing out cash to them is the answer based on my own experiences here – however, this is a trial and so I’d imagine by the end of the trial they’ll have a bit more data and be able to conclude *this does not work.*
So they can sit there as little cash machines for the unscrupulous? Not sure this makes them any safer.