About us

About Big Issue Recruit

For over 30 years, Big Issue Group has tackled poverty head-on through social business solutions. Today, with 3.8 million people in the UK struggling to afford essentials like food, clothes, and electricity, our work to create opportunities for people to work, earn, learn, and thrive has never been more urgent.

And while unemployment is at a historic low, 1.67 million people are still actively looking for work, with 718,000 vacancies left unfilled. The gap is clear: we need a more inclusive, better-skilled workforce.

A new solution for a changing job market

Big Issue Recruit (BIR), launched in 2022, is the latest innovation from Big Issue Group. BIR is a specialist recruitment service connecting employers with work-ready people affected by poverty and inequality.

We coach people into stable work, while supporting employers to build socially responsible teams, improve retention, and develop employees who are motivated to grow their careers within the organisation.

For Employers

We partner with employers who want to build stronger, more inclusive teams – and make a real impact along the way.

Big Issue Recruit offers a straightforward recruitment model that helps reduce staff turnover, improve retention, and deliver social value you can measure.

Here’s what we offer employers:

• Tailored support for hiring managers to create inclusive onboarding and long-lasting placements
• Post-hire coaching for candidates to build confidence, resilience, and success in the workplace
• Vacancy promotion and management to help you find the right people
• Flexible hiring options – from direct hires, try-before-you-hire, to fully outsourced recruitment
• Impact reporting – through our annual social value report, showing the difference your investment makes

We’ll work with you to create job opportunities that last – and change lives.

Get in touch to see how we can support your recruitment needs while driving real social impact.

For Candidates

When someone joins Big Issue Recruit, they’re matched with a dedicated Job Coach who takes the time to understand their goals, skills, and the support they need to succeed.

Our Job Coaches provide:

• One-to-one coaching and mentoring
• Confidence building, workplace skills, and resilience training
• Access to live vacancies across different sectors
• Support with applications, interview,s and onboarding
• Ongoing guidance after placement to make sure the job lasts

But it doesn’t stop there. We wrap support around every candidate – from training and digital access to financial advice and health and wellbeing resources – so people can thrive not just in work, but in life.