How We Work

The Big Issue exists to offer homeless and vulnerably housed people the opportunity to earn a legitimate income by selling a magazine to the general public. We believe in offering ‘a hand up, not a hand out’ and in enabling individuals to take control of their lives.

In order to become a Big Issue vendor an individual must prove that they are homeless or vulnerably housed, undergo an induction process and sign up to the code of conduct. Once they have done so they are allocated a fixed pitch and issued with 5 free copies of the magazine (or 10 in London). Once they have sold these magazines they can purchase further copies, which they buy for 85p and sell for £1.70, thereby making 85p per copy.

Vendors are not employed by The Big Issue, and we do not reimburse them for magazine which they fail to sell, hence each individual must manage their sales and finances carefully. These skills, along with the confidence and self-esteem they build through selling the magazine, are crucial in helping homeless people reintegrate into mainstream society.

And we don’t stop there. We recognise that earning an income is first step on the journey away from homelessness, and that a variety of issues may have contributed to an individual becoming homeless. The Big Issue Foundation, a registered charity, exists to link vendors with the vital support and services which will help them address these issues and fulfill their potential.

We work exclusively with vendors, offering advice and referrals in four keys areas; housing, health, financial independence and aspirations. Our definition of success is people making positive life changes.

The Foundation is committed to providing this crucial support in all the areas in which the magazine is sold. We rely almost entirely on voluntary donations and receive minimum support from statutory and government funding hence the need for your support. Without the generosity of individual donors and charitable trusts we simply would not exist.