About us

About Big Issue Recruit

For over 30 years, Big Issue Group has been at the forefront of dismantling poverty through social business solutions. With 3.8 million people in the UK experiencing destitution and growing, our work to create opportunities and solutions for people to work, earn, learn and thrive is needed more than ever.

Yet despite historically low unemployment – with 1.57 million people actively seeking work, there are still 781,000 job vacancies, indicating an urgent need for a more inclusive and upskilled workforce.

A new solution for a changing job market

Big Issue Recruit (BIR), established in 2022, is our bold, people-first response to inclusive employment. As the latest innovation from Big Issue Group, BIR is a specialist recruitment service dedicated to working with employers to support people affected by poverty to move into work. In doing so, we connect individuals who face barriers to work with sustainable, meaningful careers. 

We open pathways to employment for people from diverse backgrounds, while helping employers improve retention and build socially responsible teams with people who are committed to building a career within their organisation.

For Employers: Sustainable, end-to-end recruitment that creates social value

We partner with employers committed to diversifying their workforce, meeting ESG goals, and making a tangible impact. Big Issue Recruit provides a reliable, inclusive recruitment model that reduces churn, enhances retention, and delivers measurable social value.

Our offer to employers includes:

• Tailored support for hiring managers to prepare for inclusive onboarding and sustained placements
• Post-hire coaching and capacity building to support employee success
• Vacancy promotion and candidate sourcing
• Flexible hiring models – We offer a range of solutions including pay-and-place, temp-to-perm, and outsourced recruitment
• Impact reporting through our annual SROI-based social value report, helping you evidence your investment and ESG commitments

Whether you’re filling frontline roles or looking to build a more sustainable and inclusive workplace, we’ll work with you to create employment pathways that transform lives.

For Candidates: Free, personalised career support

When individuals sign up with Big Issue Recruit, they’re paired with a dedicated Job Coach who takes time to understand their goals, skills, and support needs. Job Coaches:

• Offer one-to-one coaching and mentoring
• Help build confidence, workplace skills, and resilience
• Access to live vacancies in a range of sectors
• Guide candidates through job applications, interviews, and onboarding
• Provide continued support after placement to ensure long-term success

We offer a wraparound service that includes access to training, digital inclusion, financial wellbeing support, and health and wellbeing resources, helping individuals thrive not just at work, but in life.