Opinion

UK wants to seize asylum seekers' possessions to pay for support. It's an old British tradition
A group of Ukrainian refugees walking with their belongings.
Chris Grover

UK wants to seize asylum seekers' possessions to pay for support. It's an old British tradition

Britain has a long history of seizing people's possessions to pay for welfare support. Now it wants to use that in asylum policy, writes Lancaster University's Chris Grover
Olympic boxer Ramla Ali: 'I'm fighting international aid cuts crushing children's dreams'
British-Somali boxer Ramla Ali in front of a pile of broken, discarded desks in Dadaab refugee camp.
Ramla Ali

Olympic boxer Ramla Ali: 'I'm fighting international aid cuts crushing children's dreams'

Scotland's social security system treated me better as a disabled person. DWP must take notes
Caroline Cawley is a co-production partner at Turn2Us.
Caroline Cawley

Scotland's social security system treated me better as a disabled person. DWP must take notes

Millions of Brits are struggling with council tax debt. The autumn budget must bring reforms
Anny Cullum and Toby Murray

Millions of Brits are struggling with council tax debt. The autumn budget must bring reforms

Why Rachel Reeves should give builders a tax cut to employ the next generation of apprentices
Josh Nicholson

Why Rachel Reeves should give builders a tax cut to employ the next generation of apprentices

Advertising helps fund Big Issue’s mission to end poverty
How people's love for Freddie Mercury helped overcome fear of HIV
Sir Nick Partridge

How people's love for Freddie Mercury helped overcome fear of HIV

New Troubles drama Trespasses reminded me that the past can turn you inside out
Paul McNamee

New Troubles drama Trespasses reminded me that the past can turn you inside out

Councils are turning homeless young people away from support. Gatekeeping won't end homelessness
a person dressed in a hoodie holding out their palm
Lisa Doyle

Councils are turning homeless young people away from support. Gatekeeping won't end homelessness

The government's new immigration 'shake up' will only punish torture survivors like me
Kolbassia Haoussou

The government's new immigration 'shake up' will only punish torture survivors like me

My father-in-law Peter Pallai left me with a cast-iron template for growing older with style
Sam Delaney

My father-in-law Peter Pallai left me with a cast-iron template for growing older with style

Africa's first G20 must put debt justice at the heart of the inequality agenda
Keir Starmer arrives in South Africa ahead of the G20 summit.
Attiya Waris

Africa's first G20 must put debt justice at the heart of the inequality agenda

Shocking number of children in care live without consistent love and support of an adult
Lisa Harker

Shocking number of children in care live without consistent love and support of an adult

Keir Starmer writes for Big Issue: 'It's about time we rebalanced the system to give renters more power'
Keir Starmer

Keir Starmer writes for Big Issue: 'It's about time we rebalanced the system to give renters more power'

Older people are surviving, not living. The autumn budget cannot ignore pensioner poverty
Joanna Elson

Older people are surviving, not living. The autumn budget cannot ignore pensioner poverty

UK wants to model its asylum system on Denmark's. This is why it's a bad idea
Victoria Canning

UK wants to model its asylum system on Denmark's. This is why it's a bad idea

I'm an Anacé chief in Brazil. For Indigenous people, resistance is not a choice. It's survival
Chief Roberto Ytaysaba Anacé

I'm an Anacé chief in Brazil. For Indigenous people, resistance is not a choice. It's survival

Elon Musk's trillion-dollar pay package should be a call to action for Labour this budget
Campaigners at Everyone Hates Elon

Elon Musk's trillion-dollar pay package should be a call to action for Labour this budget

Ill health is holding Britain's economy back. If the government wants growth, it must start there
Peter Babudu

Ill health is holding Britain's economy back. If the government wants growth, it must start there

I've written a Jane Austen spinoff for my 80th birthday. Help me sell a million copies
John Bird

I've written a Jane Austen spinoff for my 80th birthday. Help me sell a million copies

Shabana Mahmood's asylum crackdown is enough to make Scrooge blush – but it's not too late to change
British Home Secretary, Shabana Mahmood. The Five Country Ministerial 2025 held in Central London
Ravishaan Rahel Muthiah

Shabana Mahmood's asylum crackdown is enough to make Scrooge blush – but it's not too late to change

There's 'awareness' of trans people – but too often it's the wrong kind
Ayla Holdom and loved ones
Ayla Holdom

There's 'awareness' of trans people – but too often it's the wrong kind

Advertising helps fund Big Issue’s mission to end poverty
Families have hope for the first time this budget. Anything other than bold moves will let them down
Chancellor Rachel Reeves hosting the child poverty taskforce on 12 November.
Moazzam Malik

Families have hope for the first time this budget. Anything other than bold moves will let them down

Britain's cruel war on single mums must end. It's time to scrap the two-child limit and benefit cap
ruth talbot
Ruth Talbot

Britain's cruel war on single mums must end. It's time to scrap the two-child limit and benefit cap

The two-child benefit cap inflicts suffering on the UK's children. Labour must scrap it
Sam Richards and her son
Sam Richards

The two-child benefit cap inflicts suffering on the UK's children. Labour must scrap it

Loneliness is a growing problem. It's time we started talking to each other
Paul McNamee

Loneliness is a growing problem. It's time we started talking to each other