Police find only one in 20 beggars is homeless and without benefits in town 'plagued' by professional panhandlers where some already get £2,000-a-month state handouts and others travel nearly 20 miles to beg

Twenty beggars were moved on by police in Middlesbrough last week, though only one of them was actually homeless, as officers reveal the town is 'plagued' by professional con artists.

Police also revealed that some of them are claiming up to £2,000 a month in benefits and travelling more than 30 miles to beg for cash in Middlesbrough's town centre.

One man, who was claiming benefits and living in a rented house in Loftus, north Yorkshire, made a 35-mile round trip into Middlesbrough just to beg for money.

The council is now asking people not to hand out money in the street but to donate to homeless charities instead.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-6746739/Police-one-20-beggars-homeless-without-benefits-town.html

Is being homeless a legal prerequisite for begging over there? Perhaps the authentic homeless should be forced to register and carry a card, which they can show upon demand. Kinda like a hunting license.

If they get a bed for one night, must they return the pickings for the day?

HoratioTarr wrote:Twenty beggars were moved on by police in Middlesbrough last week, though only one of them was actually homeless, as officers reveal the town is 'plagued' by professional con artists.

Police also revealed that some of them are claiming up to £2,000 a month in benefits and travelling more than 30 miles to beg for cash in Middlesbrough's town centre.

One man, who was claiming benefits and living in a rented house in Loftus, north Yorkshire, made a 35-mile round trip into Middlesbrough just to beg for money.

The council is now asking people not to hand out money in the street but to donate to homeless charities instead.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-6746739/Police-one-20-beggars-homeless-without-benefits-town.html

there was a guy in bath who used to park up his bmw every day in victoria park before going to beg in milsom street for the day. It is possible in bath to make huge amounts begging.
another 2 people would be begging on the streets during the day with their homeless and hungry signs and the requisite mangy dog who at 5.30 would clock of and return to their flat on the same estate I lived on. Many are genuine tramps, I much prefer that word, you know where you are with a tramp, many more are not.

In my younger days we had a few tramps in bath who were invariably scottish, drunk and playing a harmonica with a hand out. you would call them characters.


1979 there, he was around for years before disappearing.