“Sorry, no change mate” - The impact of a cashless society on the homeless

“Sorry, no change mate.” I remark to the homeless man outside of Tesco as I leave with my full week's shopping. Each time I feel an overwhelming sense of guilt that I’m unable to help those who are out living on the streets as I genuinely can’t remember the last time I carried cash. I know I’m not alone in this sentiment, society continues to progress further away from cash with more convenient options available to us, such as contactless or Apple Pay. But what does this mean for the homeless people who used to rely so heavily on our generosity?

Having lived in Manchester for the best part of a year now I have had my eyes opened to the homelessness epidemic within the city. I can only imagine that 10-15 years ago the people on the streets surrounding Piccadilly Gardens would have had much more help from the public via cash donations. These donations would prove vital to ensuring unhoused people were able to eat and sleep under better conditions.

Fast forward to 2024 though and this simply isn’t the case. The Financial Times reported that cash transactions have decreased by 35% following the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic. Further, according to Social Enterprise UK, donations to the homeless have reached an all time low with only 4% of Brits donating in 2023. These are trends that are surely set to continue as technology progresses. With that said, this does not mean we are helpless when it comes to lending a hand to homeless people.

I’m not saying the onus is on the public to solve the homelessness crisis, because it absolutely is not. In fact, a major positive that can be extracted as a result of a cashless society, is that it could be the catalyst for social change and a chance for the government to step up their efforts in tackling the issue. Meanwhile, however, there are some great ways we can help provide a service to the less fortunate individuals who are out on the streets.

A great example is the UK based company Greater Change. Greater Change strives to fulfill the needs of homeless people by allowing the public to donate directly to a homeless person’s specific financial goals, similarly to giving loose change in person. The founder of the company insisted it was not intended to be a solution but to encourage people to help, stating “cashlessness was accelerating the pain felt by those experiencing homelessness but was not the cause of it”.  Greater Change is one of many organisations that aims to aid the homeless and prevent them from getting left behind in an ever advancing society.

So, if like me, you get a tremendous sense of dread uttering the words “Sorry, no change mate”, you can take comfort in knowing that there are other ways you can make a difference. Whether it be making a donation or simply stopping to chat with people on the streets, every small act of kindness goes a long way in improving the wellbeing of homeless people.

By Jack Richards, Cohort 42 Content Creator Apprentice at LADbible