Begging prosecutions rise sharply in Britain

Prosecutions for begging have soared across England and Wales, prompting concerns that recent government cuts to benefits and support services are pushing more people to beg.

Figures provided by the Crown Prosecution Service and published in The Guardian on Sunday showed a 70-percent increase in the number of begging charges.

According to the data, 2,771 cases were brought before magistrates in 2013-2014 compared with 1,626 recorded in the previous year.

In the northwestern county of Merseyside, the number of begging charges increased nearly 400 percent from 60 cases to 291 over a 12-month period, while in Greater Manchester, the figure doubled.

The local force of Greater Manchester said the rise followed a change in policing strategy, including training community support officers in Manchester city center to issue court summons.

Garry Messenger of Homeless Link, a national umbrella body for support groups, commented on the rise, saying recent government cuts are contributing to the increasing number of begging cases.

“In terms of why begging has increased, we believe there are a number of contributing factors but that reductions or restrictions to benefits and cuts to local support services are playing a part,” said Messenger.

The current UK government led by Prime Minister David Cameron launched austerity measures when it came to power in 2010 in a bid to tackle the country’s mounting debt and sluggish growth, but the policies have sparked public protests in recent years.