West London Borough Implements Strict Measures Against Professional Begging
Groups of professional beggars and individuals using face coverings to conceal their identity now face significant fines in a West London borough as local authorities intensify efforts to combat anti-social behaviour. Hammersmith and Fulham Council has officially launched a new Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) that encompasses the entire borough, with officials asserting it will effectively "reduce incidents of ASB that cause harassment, alarm and distress."
Details of the New Public Spaces Protection Order
Public Spaces Protection Orders are regulatory tools employed by local councils to address specific issues plaguing particular areas. Under this new PSPO, both council enforcement officers and police personnel are authorized to issue Fixed Penalty Notices of £100 to individuals caught engaging in prohibited activities. This fine is reduced to £60 if paid within a ten-day window, providing a financial incentive for prompt compliance.
The PSPO, which recently received approval from Cabinet Member for Social Inclusion and Community Safety Councillor Rebecca Harvey, outlines several restricted behaviours that will be enforced for a duration of three years. These restrictions specifically target professional and aggressive or persistent begging, gatherings of two or more individuals "for the purposes of engaging in anti-social behaviour," and the wearing of face masks to hide one's identity.
Important exemptions apply to the face covering restriction. The order explicitly states that it will not be enforced against anyone wearing a covering due to religious, faith-based, or cultural beliefs. Additionally, individuals with legitimate health reasons or those required to wear masks, such as during the Covid-19 pandemic, are also exempt from this particular provision.
Council's Rationale and Public Consultation
A council document elaborates on the issue of professional begging, noting that beggars who "arrive in groups are often professional beggars and beg as a source of income as opposed to genuine poverty." The paper further details evidence of such activities, including groups arriving and departing simultaneously, refusing offers of support, feigning an inability to speak or understand English, and presenting pre-written name and address details to enforcement officers.
The proposal for this new ASB-focused PSPO was initially presented to the council's Cabinet in September of last year. A subsequent public consultation period, running from September 12 to October 24, garnered 644 responses. The overwhelming majority of participants expressed support for the draft PSPO's proposals.
The most popular measure was the ban on aggressive and/or persistent begging, which received approval from 87.8 percent of respondents. The specific restriction on professional begging was backed by 87.5 percent, with all proposed measures securing support levels above 80 percent.
However, a separate survey designed for young people revealed less enthusiasm. Only 23 individuals participated in this bespoke survey, and the proposal targeting professional begging, in particular, saw limited support, with just 30 percent of young respondents in favour. Council officers noted in their report that the low support stemmed from concerns about enforcement difficulties, such as defining behaviours and the ease with which individuals could evade authorities. Despite this, the young respondents acknowledged that these issues were genuine problems within Hammersmith and Fulham that required attention.
Supporting Evidence and Enforcement Strategy
The council provided statistical evidence to justify the PSPO, including a table illustrating a steady increase in begging dispersal actions carried out by its Law Enforcement Team (LET). The data shows a rise from 155 incidents in the 2022/23 period to 256 in 2023/24 and 267 in 2024/25. For the current financial year, from April 1 to October 30, 2025, a total of 138 such incidents have already been recorded.
Alternative implementation options were considered, such as restricting the measures to evening hours or specific locations only. Councillor Harvey ultimately decided to follow the recommendation and approve the borough-wide PSPO in its entirety. A decision paper confirms that, upon implementation, "comprehensive training for all staff responsible for issuing warnings and fines would be administered, in line with a clear enforcement policy."
Context of Existing Public Spaces Protection Orders
This new ASB PSPO is not the first of its kind introduced by Hammersmith and Fulham Council. The local authority maintains a list of active PSPOs, which currently includes borough-wide orders concerning alcohol consumption in public spaces and responsible dog ownership. A more specific PSPO regulating responsible street entertaining is also in effect, applicable only to Hammersmith Town Centre, Shepherd's Bush, and White City.
In 2024, the council also implemented a borough-wide street harassment PSPO, targeting offences such as sexualised comments, flashing, and catcalling. This latest order represents a continued and expanding effort by the council to utilize PSPOs as a primary tool for maintaining public order and addressing behaviours deemed detrimental to community safety and well-being across the borough.
