About Us

The Big Issue was launched in 1991 by Gordon Roddick and A. John Bird in response to the growing number of rough sleepers on the streets of London. The two set out to address the problem of homelessness by offering homeless people the opportunity to earn a legitimate income, thereby ‘helping them to help themselves’. Created as a business solution to a social problem The Big Issue has gone on to become one of the most instantly recognisable brands in the UK and a powerful blueprint for social change.

The organisation currently works with around 2800 homeless and vulnerably housed people across the UK, and circulates over 125,000 copies of the magazine every week. Last year alone we put more than £5million in the pockets of our vendors, releasing them from a dependence on hand-outs and providing an alternative to begging.

In the twenty years since its creation The Big Issue has worked with and on behalf of society’s most marginalised individuals, helping thousands of homeless and vulnerably housed people to take control of their lives. It has challenged and shaped public perceptions of homelessness, and championed a variety of causes.

The magazine has become synonymous with challenging, independent journalism, and renowned for securing exclusive interviews with the most elusive of superstars.

The Big Issue is a media phenomenon and one of the world’s leading social enterprises with a business model which has inspired hundreds of imitations; from Johannesburg to Tokyo, Sydney to Addis Ababa, Perth to Sao Paolo, Seoul to Nairobi, The Big Issue is leading a global self-help revolution.