Want to do something to help people who are sleeping rough in our city? We're often asked what's the best thing to do to help. Here's a quick guide to why we give the advice we do...
Most experts agree that giving money directly to those on the street can be harmful to people's longer-term health. We know it often feels like the right thing to do, but it can stop people from getting the help they really need.
There are a lot of services available for rough sleepers - you can see them here: 
These services are run by experts who have experience in helping people make long-term changes to their lives - including supporting them with their addictions or getting them support with their mental health.
When you give money directly to people on the street, it makes it harder for that person to get the help that they need. We know that people who are rough sleeping die younger and have more health issues than other communities.
So we need to help save those lives by getting them into services they need.
So if you don't give money, should you give a sandwich or a coffee? That's a common misconception but the same principle applies.
There are plenty of services offering food and support. Giving food stops people from accessing those services and that's ultimately bad for their health.
Unofficial soup kitchens are also a bad idea, because they attract unscrupulous people who prey on our most vulnerable people, often dealing drugs to them or exploiting them.
The best thing you can do is to give to homelessness charities like #BigChangeMCR
You can find a full list of how you can help at streetsupport.net
You can find a full list of how you can help at streetsupport.net
