Over the last 2 decades, I have become a bit of an expert on the issues homeless people face sleeping on the streets in Manchester city centre. Not London or Leeds, or in America or India, but Manchester.

Why do I only understand Manchester? Because this is the city where I grew up, where I live, where I work, where I set up a charity. I spent a decade working for Manchester Council where I had responsibility for reducing begging, rough sleeping and street drinking in the city centre. A decade ago, I set up a charity and part of this work tackles homelessness. I have designed and run projects working on the streets to help rough sleepers into accommodation. Created projects to offer job opportunities to the homeless without interviews and applications. And more recently, I set up 10 children's libraries in homeless B&Bs so kids do not miss out on education while living in temporary accommodation.

In 2019, my charity won 'Greater Manchester Homeless Project of the Year'.

Over the last few years, people have asked me many questions on this topic. Allow me to share these conversations with you.

Surely, it is a good thing to give a beggar a couple of coins?
Unfortunately, the vast majority of beggars are drug addicts. A large proportion of these are not rough sleeping but have accommodation of some sort. How do we know? They tell us when we sit down with them to ask what help they need or want. The problem in Manchester is a mental health and drug problem. A few coins for more drugs is no solution.

I don't give money, I give them a sandwich, surely this can't be harmful?
No one is starving on the streets of Manchester. We have first-hand experience of rough sleepers telling us they don't need to attend a support centre that day for a meal. For they have already eaten on the street and have a bagful of sandwiches. Without accessing professional support vulnerable individuals cannot change their situation. Giving a meal-deal may make you feel better, but it does nothing for the individual sitting on the street.

I've heard that the homeless have to pay for rooms in a hostel?
Hostel costs are covered through Housing Benefit. Why would this not be the case? Hostel staff help individuals to claim the benefit once they have moved into the hostel.

Come on, people need a little help when they're down on their luck?
I completely agree, but doing the wrong thing for the right reasons doesn't help anyone. Supporting a drug habit doesn't help. Stopping someone from visiting a support centre doesn't help. Enabling someone to beg all day doesn't help. That's why staff work on the streets 5 days a week supporting people to access accommodation and support.

If we don't give them money then won't they all just turn to crime?
Unfortunately, this is simply illogical. Should we give criminals money in the hope that they won't commit crime? Anyway, who said homeless people are criminals?

Be honest, you just want them off the streets because of the City's image?
We do not work for or receive any funding from the Council. We run our projects only for the benefit of vulnerable people in need. We do want them off the streets, but for their individual benefit and to protect their health.

Surely not everyone on the streets struggles with addiction?
Whilst we are not saying this, the point that we are trying to make is the link between begging and the misuse of hard drugs. Not between homelessness and begging or homelessness and drug misuse.

So the question you need to ask yourself is why are you handing over money? You cannot presume it will help that person because from our experience it is having the opposite effect.

OK, you've convinced me, what should I do to help people get off the street and away from the dealers?
You should support a small local homeless charity that works front line with people in need. In Manchester, we recommend The Booth Centre and Barnabus who do amazing work on a reducing budget. They get people into accommodation and employment. They also open bank accounts, arrange for passports for foreigners to get home, offer free hot meals, showers, internet, phones. And let's not forget an important need we all have, an opportunity to socialise. To feel normal, to make friends, to talk and to have someone listen.

Finally, we are not asking you to just 'walk on by' and ignore people who are begging or homeless. By all means, engage homeless people in conversation. Ask if you can help them, find out what help they need, make referrals to support agencies. Or find the information yourself and hand it to them.

But please don't give money. Sadly, your kindness can kill and does!