A homeless charity says an increase of almost 90 per cent in arrests in London for begging is allowing more drug addicts to get treatment.
Statistics released by the Metropolitan Police under the Freedom of Information Act show 730 people were arrested on the city’s streets for begging in 2013/14, up from 385 in 2011/12.
The increase has coincided with targeted police campaigns in central London over begging, including moving on and arresting eastern European rough sleepers.
More than a third of those arrested in 2013-14 were eastern European but almost half were from the UK.
Homeless charity Thames Reach said the statistics illustrated the two major causes of begging in London — eastern European gangs and the large numbers of UK beggars addicted to drugs.
Chief executive Jeremy Swain said the arrests were part of a “co-ordinated approach” between police and local authorities and charities.
He added: “Overwhelming evidence shows that people who beg on the streets do so in order to buy hard drugs, particularly crack cocaine and heroin”. While “arresting people alone is not a solution”, arrests and prosecutions did mean drug users get access to rehabilitation services, he said.
He also said he was in favour of the police targeting eastern European beggars in central London — “I do not agree with them coming here and begging. It’s unacceptable and intimidating for businesses in the area and members of the public.”
Last week dozens of eastern Europeans were sleeping rough in a subway at Park Lane, near exclusive hotels.
