Introduction to the Big Issue
The Big Issue is one of the UK’s leading social businesses, which seventeen years since its inception continues to offer homeless and vulnerably housed people the opportunity to earn a legitimate income.
The organisation is made up of two parts; a limited company which produces and distributes a magazine to a network of street vendors, and a registered charity which exists to help those vendors gain control of their lives by addressing the issues which have contributed to their homelessness.
The Big Issue Company publishes a weekly entertainment and current affairs magazine, which Big Issue sellers (or vendors) buy for 85p and sell for £1.70, thereby earning 85p per copy. Any post investment profit generated through the sale of the magazine or the sale of advertising is passed on to our charity, The Big Issue Foundation. The Foundation is also reliant upon donations from the public to fund its crucial work with vendors.
The organisation currently supports over 2900 homeless and vulnerably housed people across the country. The magazine is read by over 670,000 people every week throughout the UK*.
*NRS Jan-Dec 08
The Big News
Cameron tells Big Issue NHS must look to Tesco
05th February 2010
David Cameron has pledged to introduce the "business thinking" of Tesco in running the NHS. In an...
Big Issue Group Chairman awarded OBE
04th January 2010
Nigel Kershaw, the Chairman of The Big Issue Group and Chief Executive of Big Issue Invest, h...
Spark reignited as £1.5M funding confirmed
10th December 2009
A £1.5million commitment by the Department for Communities and Local Government Department ...
