Preventing begging in Darlington - A multi agency approach
Begging is a form of anti-social behaviour that is unacceptable in Darlington. The term “begging” refers to people who ask for money from members of the public, it can be lucrative as it exploits public sympathy.
A proactive approach in Darlington has led to a dramatic fall in the number of people begging. Our objective has now shifted from responding to incidents of begging, to preventing people from begging in the first place.
Preventing begging benefits the community as well as the individual. The presence of beggars impacts negatively on the town’s reputation, on retailers, on community cohesion and on the perception of personal safety. Fear of intimidation, particularly among those who are vulnerable, causes people to stay away. There are also cost benefits to health, social care and criminal justice budgets if begging is prevented.
The objective of this strategy is, in the best interest of the individual, to prevent begging activity within Darlington.
To achieve our objective, we have focussed on four main actions:
- Empathy
- Engagement
- Education
- Enforcement
People beg for a variety of reasons.
Begging to feed an addiction is commonplace, whether it be for drugs, alcohol or gambling.
Some beg to meet everyday needs such as paying rent or an outstanding bill.
Unfortunately greed can play a part in begging. It is reported that individuals can gain £40-50 daily and in some cases even more.
The best way to help someone who is begging is to let us know, that way our outreach workers can speak to individuals who are begging and signpost them to the help they need.
We take a multi-agency approach, working closely with our partner organisations and departments within the council.
There is a partnership between:
- The housing team
- The police
- Crime and Victims Commissioner
- Darlington Community Safety Partnership
- The third sector
This is to help those begging and those at risk of becoming homeless.
Dedicated outreach workers also speak to individuals on a daily basis. Through proactive engagement, our outreach team is able to build up a deep understanding of the people who often beg in Darlington and can signpost them to organisations that are able to help.
They offer on the spot opportunities that include:
- Emergency accommodation
- Other floating support services
- Handholding to access the local authority homelessness pathway
- Access to substance misuse services
- Help with setting up benefits and maximising income
- Help with budgeting
- Help around mental and physical health
These aim to move the individual away from the need to beg.
The 700 Club
The 700 Club [external link] is a Darlington based charity working with people who are begging.
We work closely with agencies including the Council and the Police to help those who beg on the streets in our town.
Not everyone who begs is homeless.
Support is available so people do not need to sleep on the streets.
You can find out more and how to let us know if you are worried about anyone sleeping on the streets on our website at www.darlington.gov.uk/homelessness.
Out of hours reports can be made via StreetLink
StreetLink [external link] is a national platform that connects people rough sleeping in England and Wales to support provided by local authorities and charities. It relies on alerts submitted by members of the public and people sleeping rough.
Read more information on Preventing Rough Sleeping.