Every year, we celebrate the people who step forward. The Big Issue 100 Changemakers list is our tribute to those who see what is broken, unjust or overlooked, and decide to act. They do not wait for permission. They do not wait for perfect conditions. They get on with it.
This year’s list, once again nominated by Big Issue readers, spans the country and stretches across generations. Our youngest Changemaker is just 15, already campaigning for permanent solutions to homelessness. Our oldest is 91, still raising funds for refugees and people experiencing homelessness, and already planning her next challenge. Between them, they serve as a powerful reminder that change is not the preserve of any age group. It’s a mindset.
Across communities large and small, from council estates to rural villages, hospital wards to skate parks, courtrooms to classrooms, this year’s Changemakers are building what institutions too often fail to provide. They are creating community-owned spaces where services have disappeared. They are turning lived experience of care, disability, migration, violence or homelessness into policy change. They are challenging corporate power, defending rivers and seas, amplifying underrepresented voices, and insisting that dignity is not negotiable.
In a year marked by political hostility, economic pressure and deepening inequality, many on this list are pushing back against narratives that divide. Refugees are building leadership movements. Young people are organising for climate justice. Campaigners are demanding fairer housing, stronger social security and better protection for vulnerable workers. Others are working to strengthen the everyday safety net: feeding families, mentoring young people, supporting carers, creating inclusive workplaces and making sure nobody feels entirely alone.
I [deputy digital editor, Sophia Alexandra Hall] have edited our last three Changemakers editions, and narrowing down our list to just 100 is always the hardest part. The 2026 nominations spoke of a country criss-crossed by informal networks of care and resistance – people lacing together support where funding has been cut, and planting seeds for something fairer in the years ahead.
This year, in a Changemakers first, we are excited that as part of our partnership with construction and property services company Wates, selected Changemakers will get the opportunity to benefit from guidance from Wates business leaders and subject matter experts. The aim is to provide access to practical support and connections that could help scale their operations and increase their social and environmental impact.
