IN the age of instant, cashless payments one Oxford student has come up with a way to help the homeless without having to hunt for loose change.

Alex McCallion, who read economics management at Oxford University, is developing an app that will allow people to securely donate money to help people who have fallen on hard times.

The app, called Greater Change, will also allay concerns people have about handing money directly to people sleeping rough.

Mr McCallion, who lives in Grandpont, said: "When I was a student, I did homeless outreach programmes, I wondered whether it was beneficial to give change to homeless people.

"I thought there could be more productive ways to give money, so I started looking at a couple of charities and tech firms.

"With an app there's loads of features, showing more details of how money is being used.

"It will increase public understanding of the problem, help engage with the homeless and show exactly where the money is going.

"It's simple, it's information in the palm of your hands."

The system works by allowing donors to identify a homeless person through the app, read their story, and make a payment that will be managed by the person's support worker.

Mr McCallion said: “We know that Oxford is facing a homelessness crisis, and people want to do what they can – but too often, the money given out on the streets isn’t being used to help people break the cycle of homelessness.

"With members of the public carrying less cash, we want to make sure the homeless aren’t left behind in a cashless world.

"So Greater Change is all about using technology to encourage members of the public to give directly to homeless people but with the assurance that it’s being spent to help them move away from homelessness for good."

The app is designed to ensure ensures donations are spent practically and positively – on qualifications, work experience, employment and securing housing.

Greater Change is being developed in partnership with Aspire Oxford, a social enterprise focused on supporting homeless people and other disadvantaged groups find employment.

If the app proves to be a success in Oxford, it could be rolled out nationwide.

Development of the project is being crowdfunded through OxReach, Oxford University’s crowdfunding platform.

For more information on how to donate, go to https://oxreach.hubbub.net/p/GreaterChange/.