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Sat, 22 Aug 2026

Sat, 22 Aug 2026 Not 'poor enough': Do people use London's pay-it-forward schemes?

The schemes are in place to help people who are struggling with the cost of living.
Pay-it-forward schemes, where community donations can be used by others to cover costs like coffee or books, are becoming increasingly popular as people struggle with rising living expenses. Host Cafe in London's City Centre operates such a scheme, where customers can take a heart-shaped token from the counter without explanation. One regular user is Paul Atherton, who has been homeless for 17 years and relies on schemes like this to survive. Economist Prof Joan Costa-i-Font calls these schemes "signals of kindness" but notes that they don't address the underlying structural problems of poverty. However, cafe manager Barbara Gornicka wants the scheme to be used more often by people from different backgrounds, not just those who can't afford a coffee. A similar pay-it-forward scheme is run by Lala Books in Camberwell, where customers can claim all or part of the cost of a book using community donations. Owner Danielle Moylan notes that some people hesitate to use the fund, but the intention is for anyone to feel comfortable taking a book home without worrying about the cost. To avoid awkwardness, customers at Lala Books can pick up gift vouchers from a box in the back of the shop, which look like regular vouchers and don't require an explanation. Moylan believes that allowing people to take advantage of the scheme is part of its purpose as a community fund.