John Bird, Big Issue vendors and support workers gather to celebrate the launch of Big Issue's Christmas appeal. Credit: Tom Oldham
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One in five people have sofa surfed and more than half of Brits feel worried about paying their rent or mortgage, according to new research commissioned by Big Issue this Christmas.
A separate survey of Big Issue’s street vendors echoes these concerns, with a stark 78% reporting that they feel closer to homelessness than they did five years ago.
This new research has been published today (14 November) to coincide with the release of Big Issue’s new Christmas ad, The 12 Days of Homelessness. In an alternate take on the iconic Christmas carol, Big Issue vendors and their support workers draw attention to many complex factors that may lead someone to become homeless – and the different ways the Big Issue helps to combat these.
Narrated by Big Issue ambassador Daniel Mays, the ad asks people to buy from their local vendor every week over the Christmas period, or to buy a Big Issue Vendor Support Kit.
Out of the reasons for homelessness singled out in the ad, the Big Issue’s survey showed the public feel that losing their source of income or employment was the most likely trigger for them to become homeless.
The Big Issue provides a lifeline for people in this situation. Selling the Big Issue remains one of the only ways for homeless people or those at risk of homelessness to earn an income quickly, with less barriers than many other earning opportunities.
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L-R: Big Issue vendors Matthew, Jose and Andre, three of the stars of this year’s Christmas ad. Photo by Tom Oldham.
A second survey of just Big Issue vendors outlines the specific housing instability risks faced by those on the front lines of economic hardship. Vendors reported fearing the end of private tenancies and rising living costs as top factors that are likely to result in them becoming homeless. Alarmingly, 78% of vendors feel more at risk of homelessness now than they did in since the cost-of-living crisis began in 2019.
The Big Issue helps vendors and other people in extreme poverty weather the volatile social and economic climate that continues to endure in the UK. More than 4,000 individuals were supported by our regional support teams last year, including helping them find safe and secure housing, employment support via Big Issue Recruit, and unlocking access to vital services such as healthcare, eyecare and ID.
Susan Alderman knows the fear of homelessness more than most. She sells the Big Issue in central London. “No two people that have been homeless are on the street for the same reason,” she told us.
“Money could be one reason, another reason could be domestic violence. If you haven’t got a proper job, for example, that that can push some people over the edge where they get in debt. They might have an alcohol problem or drug problem. A lot of people have got mental health issues which need addressing – it can be anything.
“Everyone’s got a different reason. And it’s easy to get into that into that trap if you haven’t got the right support at the time. But with the right sort of help, help like the Big Issue provides, anyone can get on the right track to bettering themselves.”
The scale of housing instability revealed by Big Issue’s survey is striking, with 39% of those polled claiming to have experienced some form of homelessness. Notably, 22% of respondents report having sofa-surfed at some point in their lives, with 7% of respondents admitting to having slept rough – the situation is even more severe in major cities, including Edinburgh where this increases to 12%. A further 22% have lived in temporary accommodation, underlining the precarious housing situation for many.
As pressures mount, 53% of people have turned to friends or family for financial help since the cost-of-living crisis began, with 64% in cities like London and Birmingham relying on their support networks. Reflecting growing public empathy, 61% agree that homelessness can happen to anyone, and 93% believe the government must provide support to those facing homelessness.
Current government policies drew widespread criticism from respondents, with 51% rating them as ineffective. In contrast, 82% of the population believe that increased investment in social housing would help alleviate homelessness.
This winter, Big Issue is asking the nation to help change a Big Issue vendor’s life by purchasing a magazine every week, or buying a Vendor Support Kit. For more information, visit www.bigissue.com/christmas
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