I would much rather be aware of something, than blissfully ignorant of the possibility of them being around. If people are made aware of the facts of false widows, then its also much less likely that they will randomly squish every spider that is near them and be able to identify one if they saw it.
What qualification do you have to advise on these spiders then?
"being aware" of something is such a throw away statement. How many of you smoke or passive smoke? You have magnitude of order more chance that that will kill you than any spider, anywhere in the world, without even reducing that chance from the UK where there are basically no spiders capable of harming humans. Even Steatoda.
These are also an invading species and not natural to the UK. Would you have people then in essence letting an invasive species loose in their back yard if they found one? hmmm.
Wrong.
Steatoda nobilis arrived before 1879.
S.grossa arrived in the 1800's.
S.bipunctata - I don't know if this is native or not, but I suspect it is. First recorded in 1864.
S.albomaculata - first record in 1900.
S.phalerata - first recorded 1864.
S.triangulosa - first recorded 1996.
I take it you go around killing Pheasants, Rabbits, Mice, etc?
As to what was posted earlier about 'pick it up and put it outside'...yeah..advise people to simply pick up a spider that could possibly be venemous and put it outside...great advice.
I study spiders for a living, you get your information from newspapers that have to show naked ladies to sell anything.
I'll let people trust whichever they prefer.