Our Impact | Big Issue Invest
Big Issue Invest Impact
Delivering social impact through the organisations we invest in
At Big Issue Invest, our impact success is measured in terms of how many social businesses we support to create meaningful social change and also, how many people affected by poverty and social inequality in the UK, benefit from the work of our investees. Overall, 94% of our investees contribute to core solutions to poverty.
Big Issue Invest’s impact in 2025
At Big Issue Invest, we believe in the power of social enterprise to generate change for the better in our communities. Here’s an overview of what Big Issue Invest and the social purpose organisations we support have achieved in the past year:
What services do Big Issue Invest investees provide?
The way our investees engage with people and communities ranges from digital information services which reach an audience of many, but are lighter touch, through to group therapy and highly impactful, intensive services such as individual care and housing. Here’s a breakdown of what they do (% of investees:
- Consumer goods – 19%
- Information, signposting and guides – 24%
- Providing facilities to people or businesses – 24%
- One-off or group support – 58%
- Intensive support (including housing) – 63%
- Employment opportunities – 20%
Where are Big Issue Invest’s investees located?
Of our 139 active investees, 58% are located in areas of high deprivation. Above all, this emphasizes our commitment to address poverty where it is most common to ensure our impact is most effective.
How Big Issue Invest delivers impact
We invest in social purpose organisations delivering long-term solutions to the root causes of poverty in the UK, with investment ranging from £20,000 to £4 million.
This contributes to our overall mission as part of Big Issue Group: To dismantle poverty through social business solutions.
At Big Issue Invest, it’s about more than money, too. We provide non-financial support to help our investees build resilience and get the most from investment, and to support the growth of the social sector.
For more information on Big Issue Invest Impact, read our impact reports below.
Impact Reports
You can access our Impact Report library here.
Recognised for Excellence and Impact
We take pride in our awards and accreditations, a testament to our commitment to effecting meaningful social impact investing.
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