A hand up, not a handout

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
Pensions, taxes and benefits: What does Autumn Statement 2023 mean for you and your bank balance?
Autumn Statement

Pensions, taxes and benefits: What does Autumn Statement 2023 mean for you and your bank balance?

Autumn Statement 2023: What could be in it and how it will affect your bank balance?
Autumn Statement

Autumn Statement 2023: What could be in it and how it will affect your bank balance?

Families left with ‘nothing’ as cost of living payments fail to cover essentials: ‘My bank account is empty’
Cost of living crisis

Families left with ‘nothing’ as cost of living payments fail to cover essentials: ‘My bank account is empty’

‘I urinated myself in the opticians’: UK’s public toilet crisis makes disabled people feel like ‘prisoners’
Public toilets

‘I urinated myself in the opticians’: UK’s public toilet crisis makes disabled people feel like ‘prisoners’

Benefits claimants to lose free NHS prescriptions if they refuse work: ‘We will take your benefits away’
Benefits

Benefits claimants to lose free NHS prescriptions if they refuse work: ‘We will take your benefits away’

Food banks ask people to ‘pray for them’ ahead of worst winter on record: ‘Our shelves are empty’
Cost of living crisis

Food banks ask people to ‘pray for them’ ahead of worst winter on record: ‘Our shelves are empty’

Map shows where you can find a warm bank near you this winter
Cost of living crisis

Map shows where you can find a warm bank near you this winter

We grilled new children’s minister about UK kids living in destitution. It didn’t go well
Exclusive

We grilled new children’s minister about UK kids living in destitution. It didn’t go well

DWP plans for ‘welfare cuts’ slammed as ‘utter evil’ by disability campaigners
Welfare reforms

DWP plans for ‘welfare cuts’ slammed as ‘utter evil’ by disability campaigners

Here’s where to get help if you can’t afford to pay your energy bills in the cost of living crisis
Cost of living crisis

Here’s where to get help if you can’t afford to pay your energy bills in the cost of living crisis

Food bank says people are turning to sex work and taking out dangerous loans due to cost of living
Cost of living crisis

Food bank says people are turning to sex work and taking out dangerous loans due to cost of living

Food banks are helping hundreds of thousands of UK children to survive, data shows
Cost of living crisis

Food banks are helping hundreds of thousands of UK children to survive, data shows