From begging to new beginnings

The number of people sleeping rough on the streets of Edinburgh has climbed to over 100 every night. This is despite the tireless work of Simon Community Scotland who are helping hundreds of people every day through their Streetwork Team and the many delivery partners they connect with every day to find solutions for people at risk and in crisis.

Lorraine McGrath, CEO at Simon Community Scotland, said: “Rough sleeping numbers in Edinburgh were 62 on 24th September 2024, the day that we declared a people emergency. We are now approaching double that number, despite the very best efforts of our team and other charities. Our team has prevented 438 people from rough sleeping since 28th October.”

“Whilst not everyone who finds themselves having to sleep rough is involved in street begging and not everyone who begs is sleeping rough, there is a close connection and they all are experiencing levels of desperation that most of us would find it hard to relate to.”

Speaking about the release of a new film, From Begging To New Beginnings, Fiona Williamson, Head of Service at Simon Community Scotland, said: “As the number of people at risk of and experiencing rough sleeping in Edinburgh is rising, so too are the number of people begging in the city. Street begging may seem like a choice, but our work with the begging community tells a different story. We have conducted over 250 interviews at begging pitches in Edinburgh and found that 85% of people feel they have no other options. People feel ashamed, stigmatised, and degraded and they want solutions out of destitution.”

Fiona added: “Edinburgh is currently responding to a housing crisis, a human crisis and cost of living crisis that has hit the people who are without resources the worst. Therefore, in partnership with people who beg, communities affected by begging and over 50 stakeholders, we launched Edinburgh’s first Begging Strategy in early 2024.”

Lois White, Strategic Coordinator-Edinburgh Begging Strategy, said: “Our short film ‘From Begging to New Beginnings’ highlights the lived experiences of people who beg and the inequalities they face. What we know is that begging is completely preventable. At Simon Community Scotland we walk alongside people who beg every day to build trusting relationships and create sustainable pathways out of poverty and away from harmful street lifestyles.”

Watch the film

To meet the immediate need for emergency support on the streets, Simon Community Scotland have launched a new Street Change Edinburgh Just Giving page https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/streetworkedinburgh to allow people to make donations that will go directly towards helping people on the streets. 

We are also encouraging Edinburgh businesses to reach out to partner or support their work by emailing hello@simonscotland.org to arrange a conversation.

Fiona Williamson said: “We know the people who beg, and we know how to help” – however we cannot do this alone. We need additional funding to ensure positive, long-term change for the people of Edinburgh. Donations received through Street Change Edinburgh go directly and exclusively into a fund which can be accessed rapidly by Edinburgh’s frontline support workers to assist people experiencing homelessness, there and then, without delay.”