I’ve noticed a significant increase in homeless people around England in general, but Coventry definitely has a high percentage, although that’s based on nothing more than my observations. Whether that’s an increase in genuine homelessness or scammers, who knows.
I’ll happily buy food/drink for those I believe to be genuine, but never money, unless they look truly desperate and I have some lose change to hand.
Also, the cynical, stone hearted side of me always wonders how much is it the individuals own actions that resulted in them being in that situation? Must be horrible though - imagine having literally nothing to your name and nobody to turn to. Depressing and likely to make any addictions worse.