Isabella McRae
Isabella McRae
Isabella McRae is a senior reporter at The Big Issue specialising in social justice. She reports on a wide range of issues including poverty and inequality, the benefits system, disability rights, housing, health, immigration, gender equality and much more. Isabella was a winner of the PPA Next Gen Awards in 2023, formerly known as the 30 under 30. She was shortlisted for journalist of the year in the Scope Disability Awards 2024. Get in touch with Isabella through isabella.mcrae@bigissue.com
Beats Bus: How a Hull group is using hip-hop to fight poverty and protect young people from gangs
Community activism

Beats Bus: How a Hull group is using hip-hop to fight poverty and protect young people from gangs

Children forced to sleep on floors as parents skip meals due to cost of living – something has to give
Child poverty

Children forced to sleep on floors as parents skip meals due to cost of living – something has to give

Cost of living crisis sees more and more children seeking mental health help: ‘I feel like a burden’
Mental health

Cost of living crisis sees more and more children seeking mental health help: ‘I feel like a burden’

Tens of thousands call on DWP to reinstate ‘lifeline’ cost of living payment for disabled people
Disabilities

Tens of thousands call on DWP to reinstate ‘lifeline’ cost of living payment for disabled people

‘We’re punished for being different’: Black girls excluded from school at double rate of white pupils
Education

‘We’re punished for being different’: Black girls excluded from school at double rate of white pupils

UK is ‘failing’ children as death rates rise, poverty surges and health declines at ‘alarming’ rate
Child poverty

UK is ‘failing’ children as death rates rise, poverty surges and health declines at ‘alarming’ rate

Tories unveil plan to make UK ‘most accessible place in the world’ – but does it go far enough?
Disabilities

Tories unveil plan to make UK ‘most accessible place in the world’ – but does it go far enough?

‘It’s a lifeline’: MPs urge government to help families in crisis and continue household support fund
Household Support Fund

‘It’s a lifeline’: MPs urge government to help families in crisis and continue household support fund

Household support fund’s end would be ‘devastating’, charities say: ‘We’re planning for the worst’
Department for Work and Pensions

Household support fund’s end would be ‘devastating’, charities say: ‘We’re planning for the worst’

‘An urgent wake-up call’: Half of disabled people are struggling to pay their energy bills
Cost of living crisis

‘An urgent wake-up call’: Half of disabled people are struggling to pay their energy bills

‘I have nothing’: DWP takes millions from benefit claimants every year to pay for its own mistakes
Benefits

‘I have nothing’: DWP takes millions from benefit claimants every year to pay for its own mistakes

21 million Brits are struggling to pay bills: ‘People will go cold, hungry and lose their homes’
Cost of living crisis

21 million Brits are struggling to pay bills: ‘People will go cold, hungry and lose their homes’