‘Professional Beggars’ Make It Harder For The Homeless On The Streets Of Liverpool

Homeless people have told the Liverpool Echo about the issues many of them face because of so-called professional beggars operating in the city centre.

Echo reporter, Liam Thorp, went to the area around Moorfields to talk to homeless people and they told him that things are definitely more difficult because of “professional beggars”. One man, who was sleeping rough near the station, said he had been homeless for around 10 months following the breakdown of a relationship.

He said: “When you are on the streets you are like a family, you see each other and you help each other – so you get to know each other. But these guys, you don’t see them when times get tough – like when we had the bad weather last week, I was hiding under a building over there, these professional beggars were nowhere to be seen – they all just go home when things get rough, obviously I can’t do that.”

He added: “I see it happening everyday, they are making it harder for us because we are relying on the goodwill of people to get by. People don’t want to give money to people who are taking the mick, It is a problem because it means people are more reluctant to help us.”

Liverpool Mayor, Joe Anderson, has called for a crackdown on those who he says are duping generous citizens into handing over cash – and giving those in genuine need a bad name. He even sent photographs to the Echo that appear to show a man changing from reasonable clothes into a scruffier outfit, something he said highlighted the problem in the city.

The reporter showed the images of the alleged professional beggar to another homeless man, 22-year-old Jamie. He said the fact the man in the pictures was wearing reasonable clothes did not necessarily mean he wasn’t homeless.

Jamie said: “Look at me, I’ve got decent gear on and I’m homeless because I try and look after myself, so he might not be.” He added: “But he might be conning people, you do see it happening. I know a woman who sits down the road, she has got a four-bedroomed house and five kids but she sits down there on the street with a blanket over her looking scruffy, so it definitely does go on.”

Details of Mayor Anderson’s plan to tackle the issue of professional beggars are expected soon.