Isabella McRae
Isabella McRae is a senior reporter at The Big Issue. She reports on a wide range of issues across social affairs and culture. Isabella was awarded Best News Story at the Anti-Slavery Day Awards in 2025. She was also a winner of the PPA Next Gen Awards in 2023, formerly known as the 30 under 30, and was shortlisted for journalist of the year in the Scope Disability Awards 2024. Get in touch with Isabella through isabella.mcrae@bigissue.com
Disability and work: Why the next government must show compassion and reform the benefits system
disability benefits protest
Disability benefits

Disability and work: Why the next government must show compassion and reform the benefits system

DWP universal credit increase 2024 – everything benefit claimants need to know
universal credit/ money
Universal credit

DWP universal credit increase 2024 – everything benefit claimants need to know

Why DWP urgently needs to make universal credit enough so people can afford the essentials
universal credit essentials guarantee/ supermarket
Universal credit

Why DWP urgently needs to make universal credit enough so people can afford the essentials

Universal credit claimants lose more than £1bn a year to 'automatic DWP deductions'
universal credit/ debtor
Department for Work and Pensions

Universal credit claimants lose more than £1bn a year to 'automatic DWP deductions'

Period poverty: Homeless women forced to steal tampons or use old clothes as period products
period/ homelessness
Homelessness

Period poverty: Homeless women forced to steal tampons or use old clothes as period products

Dignified quality of life or gaslighting? Tories' 'triple lock plus' pension pledge divides voters
pensioner
General election 2024

Dignified quality of life or gaslighting? Tories' 'triple lock plus' pension pledge divides voters

Energy bills are set to fall but UK families have already lost £72bn to 'staggering' prices
energy bills
Energy bills

Energy bills are set to fall but UK families have already lost £72bn to 'staggering' prices

Poverty costs the UK billions each year. Politicians must commit to ending it this general election
Trussell Trust food banks
General election 2024

Poverty costs the UK billions each year. Politicians must commit to ending it this general election

Sunak calls general election for 4 July: 'It's time to put a limping government out of its misery'
General election 2024

Sunak calls general election for 4 July: 'It's time to put a limping government out of its misery'

Yes, inflation is falling – but nearly 90% of Brits say cost of living crisis is far from over
inflation/ cost of living/ supermarket queue
Inflation

Yes, inflation is falling – but nearly 90% of Brits say cost of living crisis is far from over

Low pay as a trainee bus driver left me desperate. I skipped meals and ended up £46k in debt
james rossi, who faced debt
Cost of living

Low pay as a trainee bus driver left me desperate. I skipped meals and ended up £46k in debt

DWP ramps up AI use to 'bring the future to the welfare system' and push people into work
disability benefits
Department for Work and Pensions

DWP ramps up AI use to 'bring the future to the welfare system' and push people into work