Research finds that over half of UK adults (54%) think the government is not doing enough for people in poverty  

• Poll commissioned by Big Issue Group with YouGov reveals concerns over government inaction on poverty 

• Big Issue Group has launched a new Big Community initiative, designed to bring local people together to find solutions to poverty in their areas, and to call for real government action on poverty

• Initiative includes a new Big Issue Membership scheme, a community roadshow and a call to government to set legally binding poverty reduction targets

Today (Monday 23 September) a new YouGov poll¹ commissioned by the Big Issue Group has shown over half of adults in the UK believe the government is not doing enough to help people in poverty.  

Out of over 2,000 Brits surveyed in early September, 54% said they felt the government is doing “too little” to help people in their local area who are afflicted by poverty. 43% of those surveyed suggested doing more to reduce energy bills would do the most to support those living in poverty, news that comes just weeks after Labour’s controversial decision to axe the winter fuel payments of more than 10 million pensioners.  

Close to half (45%) of all respondents believed their local areas had changed for the worse over the last few years, with 42% saying their areas ‘had stayed about the same’ and only 7% reporting a change for the better. However, over two thirds (69%) of respondents said that, in general, local issues are more effectively resolved when people and organisations work together on a local scale to achieve this change – offering hope that the poverty crisis can be eased with collective action.   

In light of these findings, the Big Issue Group is launching a new Big Community initiative, designed to bring local people together to find solutions to poverty in their areas, and to call for real government action on poverty. The initiative encompasses a community roadshow, a new membership scheme, and a call to campaign for bold new government legislation.  

The social enterprise is calling for a ‘Poverty Zero’ law, which would force every government to set legally binding targets to reduce poverty – as with Net Zero. It’s estimated that 3.8 million people in the UK live in extreme poverty, struggling to feed, clothe, and keep themselves warm². This has more than doubled in the last 7 years, and the Big Issue Group wants the first ever ‘Poverty Zero’ law to tie the government to eradicating destitution by 2035.  

The public can back this bold new campaign by signing up to the Big Issue’s Membership scheme and enabling the Big issue to create positive solutions so even more people in the UK can work and earn their way out of poverty – through it’s support services, work readiness programme and campaigning on behalf of the 3.8m people, to get those in power to do more. 

John Bird, founder of the Big Issue, said: “Poverty is out of control, and our politicians repeatedly fail to act fast enough. We refuse to accept this. A new ‘Poverty Zero’ law would hold their feet to the fire.  

“If you too are outraged by this country’s poverty crisis, stand with us. Become a member of the Big Issue and show those in power that we won’t put up with their inaction. 

“It’s not all bad news. Our poll shows people still believe in the power of community and working together to achieve change. That’s why, for the first time, we’re taking the Big Issue on the road. We want to bring local people together and support communities to tackle poverty head-on.” 

The first ever Big Community Roadshow will visit Newcastle-upon-Tyne next week, with the social enterprise’s various teams based in the city for a week to listen, support and report on overlooked local issues. More dates and locations will be announced in the coming weeks. 

For 33 years the Big Issue Group has worked to create opportunities for people affected by poverty across the UK. Sandrine Mpongo, a 38-year-old single mother from London, was a long-term benefit claimant who used Big Issue Recruit to find work. Sandrine called her job coach Shak “a really, really big help” with her interview prep. “We were talking every day for a week. He told me I could call him anytime.” Big Issue Recruit also paid for Sandrine’s transport to her job interview, where she successfully secured a role as a catering assistant.  

An enduringly popular way for people in extreme poverty to earn an income is by selling the Big Issue. Josh Eardley, who sells the magazine on Exeter High Street, said: “I became homeless last spring. I was living in a tent in the Exeter area and I consistently moved around for safety purposes. Fortunately, I saw the end of it and became housed and started selling the Big Issue. It turned out to be a very good thing for me to have started.   

“Big Issue is definitely helping me to mobilise parts of my CV. For me, the future is about finding a sustainable route forward.”  

To become a Member of the Big Issue, visit bigissue.com/membership. 

^[1] 2,151 UK adults were surveyed by YouGov between 5^th and 6^th September 2024.

^[2] https://www.jrf.org.uk/deep-poverty-and-destitution/destitution-in-the-uk-2023

Ends

Notes to Editors

All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov Plc.  Total sample size was 2,151 adults. Fieldwork was undertaken between 5th – 6th September 2024.  The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all GB adults (aged 18+).