Homeless people are preparing for a cashless society by accepting online payments.
Beggars in China have been using QR codes that people can scan to make a donation for more than a year.
Oxford University has now backed an initiative in which homeless people wear QR codes around their necks in an attempt to increase donations as use of cash declines.
As part of the project, called Greater Change, homeless people are handed a QR code, a square barcode that can be scanned by smartphones.
Passers-by who wish to give money but do not have any change can scan the code and make an online payment.
The donation goes into an account which is managed by a case worker, who ensures that the money is spent on agreed targets, such as saving for a rental deposit or a new passport.