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
Disability benefits system is damaging claimants’ health, DWP’s own analysis finds: ‘It’s degrading’
Disability benefits

Disability benefits system is damaging claimants’ health, DWP’s own analysis finds: ‘It’s degrading’

‘Food is expensive’: How free community meals have become lifelines for people struggling to survive
Poverty

‘Food is expensive’: How free community meals have become lifelines for people struggling to survive

‘It’s hell on Earth’: British doctors recall seeing ‘unimaginable suffering’ in Gaza
War in Gaza

‘It’s hell on Earth’: British doctors recall seeing ‘unimaginable suffering’ in Gaza

‘I lost my dignity’: Inside Britain’s biggest food bank as people struggle to afford the basics
Food banks

‘I lost my dignity’: Inside Britain’s biggest food bank as people struggle to afford the basics

‘It’s time to listen’: Labour conference votes for government to reverse winter fuel payment cuts
Winter fuel payments

‘It’s time to listen’: Labour conference votes for government to reverse winter fuel payment cuts

Labour’s plan to ‘get Brits back to work’ must not be an excuse for slashing benefits, charities say
Disability benefits

Labour’s plan to ‘get Brits back to work’ must not be an excuse for slashing benefits, charities say

DWP’s crackdown on welfare fraud risks ‘criminalising’ innocent benefit claimants, Starmer warned
Benefit fraud

DWP’s crackdown on welfare fraud risks ‘criminalising’ innocent benefit claimants, Starmer warned

DWP’s uncertainty over future of PIP leaves benefit claimants in fear: ‘What’s going to happen to me?’
Benefits

DWP’s uncertainty over future of PIP leaves benefit claimants in fear: ‘What’s going to happen to me?’

Rachel Reeves promises ‘no return to austerity’ amid fears of cuts to benefits in autumn budget
Social Justice

Rachel Reeves promises ‘no return to austerity’ amid fears of cuts to benefits in autumn budget

Hundreds of thousands of universal credit claimants forced into destitution by DWP ‘deductions’
Universal credit

Hundreds of thousands of universal credit claimants forced into destitution by DWP ‘deductions’

UK inflation holds at 2.2% – but it’s still a bleak picture for poorer people and benefit claimants
Cost of living crisis

UK inflation holds at 2.2% – but it’s still a bleak picture for poorer people and benefit claimants

Poor, sick and disabled pensioners to lose winter fuel payment: ‘We are incredibly worried’
Winter fuel payment

Poor, sick and disabled pensioners to lose winter fuel payment: ‘We are incredibly worried’