"An estimated 3,069 people spent the night sleeping rough in 2022, an annual increase of 26%" - "Rough sleeping snapshot in England: autumn 2022 [2.1]", DLUHC Official Statistics

Forward to 2023 and there is still an expected "sharp" increase in homeless to come. 

"There are beggars and buskers operating on this train. Please do not encourage their presence by supporting them." 

People who are pushed out of housing and a stable way of life deserve support and compassion. This, coupled with the current cost-of-living crisis, makes the wider re-introduction of 'anti-begging' announcements feel devoid of emotion or care and reflect awfully on the perception of people who have found themselves in this situation. 

And to make matters worse, a petition from 2019 stated the exact same sentiment : End appalling 'anti-begging' TFL announcements

"People are forced to beg on streets and trains as a last resort - not because it's an attractive or lucrative activity. The announcements currently running on the underground are deeply dehumanising, encouraging wealthy commuters to see those forced to beg on trains as a nuisance to be ignored - rather than people who have been badly let down by the system, and who deserve support and compassion." -Georgia Elander 

I urge the Mayor of London to - at the very least - remove these again and follow through with his promise to change these announcements to what was promised in 2019 : “TfL and the Mayor of London are committed to helping rough sleepers get off the street. You can help too, by donating to charity projects and referring rough sleepers to support services via StreetLink. Search ‘Help London’s Homeless’ to find out more.”

"One Londoner is forced into homelessness every 10 minutes – it happened to me"

Rough sleeping in England rises for first time in half a decade