News

The Big Issue goes cashless with the help of iZettle

Big Issue vendors across the UK will now have access to cashless technology, thanks to our partnership with tech innovators iZettle

" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen>

Cashless payments now far outweigh cash transactions, with one in five Brits ditching notes and coins entirely, while tapping a card against a reader accounted for 5.6 billion payments last year.

That means Big Issue vendors, working hard for a living across the country, were financially excluded by only accepting cash. We have seen that reality take hold in recent times so that’s why we decided to do something about it.

Some enterprising vendors have already decided to take it upon themselves to offer cashless payments. But we want to give everyone who sells The Big Issue the opportunity to have a card reader so we launched a trial with iZettle in December to assess how it could be done. The Swedish firm report that 80 per cent of their overall payments in the UK are now contactless, so they were the perfect partner to help us include our vendors in the cashless present and future.

Hugh’s story

In London’s St Paul’s Underground station vendor Hugh Palmer says offering contactless payments has enabled him to “fit back in society”.

The 73-year-old started selling The Big Issue after going bankrupt in 2011 and he believes that offering contactless payments as part of the iZettle trial has given him renewed confidence. “It’s promoting you and people think, ‘Ooh he’s got contactless, he must be OK,’” said Hugh. “You fit back into society; before when it was cash only you would get days when people just didn’t buy the magazine from you.”

As one of the vendors in the vanguard of The Big Issue’s cashless revolution, Hugh also features in the above short film that shows what a big difference being able to offer cashless tap-and-go payment for the magazine can make to vendors. He is filmed at his pitch, showing exactly how it works – and how the speed and ease of each transaction is helping to drive up vendors’ sales.

Help us spread the word over on Twitter and Instagram.

If you are passing his pitch, stop to say hello, buy your copy of the magazine and be part of our #CashlessBigIssue revolution!

Support the Big Issue

For over 30 years, the Big Issue has been committed to ending poverty in the UK. In 2024, our work is needed more than ever. Find out how you can support the Big Issue today.
Vendor martin Hawes

Recommended for you

View all
Rishi Sunak's refusal to call a UK general election in May could cost taxpayers millions
Rishi Sunak, general election
Politics

Rishi Sunak's refusal to call a UK general election in May could cost taxpayers millions

'Utterly dire situation': Childcare costs surge to 'eye-watering' £158 per week
childcare
Childcare

'Utterly dire situation': Childcare costs surge to 'eye-watering' £158 per week

Tory government 'demonises' disabled people who face 'onerous' benefits system, UN warns
disability benefits/ disabled people
Disabled people

Tory government 'demonises' disabled people who face 'onerous' benefits system, UN warns

Museum sparks debate after listing Margaret Thatcher as a 'villain' alongside Hitler and Bin Laden
Politics

Museum sparks debate after listing Margaret Thatcher as a 'villain' alongside Hitler and Bin Laden

Most Popular

Read All
Renters pay their landlords' buy-to-let mortgages, so they should get a share of the profits
Renters: A mortgage lender's window advertising buy-to-let products
1.

Renters pay their landlords' buy-to-let mortgages, so they should get a share of the profits

Exclusive: Disabled people are 'set up to fail' by the DWP in target-driven disability benefits system, whistleblowers reveal
Pound coins on a piece of paper with disability living allowancve
2.

Exclusive: Disabled people are 'set up to fail' by the DWP in target-driven disability benefits system, whistleblowers reveal

Here's when UK households to start receiving last cost of living payments
next dwp cost of living payment 2023
3.

Here's when UK households to start receiving last cost of living payments

Strike dates 2023: From train drivers to NHS doctors, here are the dates to know
4.

Strike dates 2023: From train drivers to NHS doctors, here are the dates to know