The Big Issue Digital Survey 2025
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The Big Issue is interested to know what you think about our organisation, work and the products and services we have which create opportunities for people affected by poverty.
The survey will take about 15 minutes to complete so grab a cuppa and give us your views.
The survey results are for the Big Issue team to understand how we can continue to improve our products and services.
Please check this box to confirm that you are happy for your responses to be used for research and insights purposes by Big Issue Group
*
Required
Please check this box to confirm that you are happy for your responses to be used for research and insights purposes by Big Issue GroupRequired
What is your gender?
*
Required
Female
Male
Prefer not to say
Other
What is your age?
*
Required
Younger than 20 years old
21 - 30 years old
31 - 40 years old
41 - 50 years old
51 - 60 years old
61 - 70 years old
71 years old or older
Prefer not to say
Where do you live?
*
Required
East Midlands
East of England
London
North East England
North West England
Northern Ireland
South East England
South West England
West Midlands
Yorkshire and The Humber
Scotland
Wales
Outside of the UK
Prefer not to say
What is your current housing situation?
Homeowner (with mortgage)
Homeowner (without mortgage)
Living with friends or family
Local Authority or Housing Association renting
On-site/Traveller
Park home
Privately renting
Squat
Street homeless
Student accommodation
Supported accommodation
Temporary accommodation e.g. hotel, hostel or B&B
Prefer not to say
Other
What is your occupation?
Corporate managers and directors
Other managers and proprietors
Science, research, engineering and technology professionals
Health professionals
Teaching and other educational professionals
Business, media and public service professionals
Health and social care associate professionals
Protective service occupations
Culture, media and sports occupations
Business and public service associate professionals
Administrative occupations
Secretarial and related occupations
Skilled agricultural and related trades
Skilled metal, electrical and electronic trades
Skilled construction and building trades
Textiles, printing and other skilled trades
Caring personal service occupations
Leisure, travel and related personal service occupations
Community and civil enforcement occupations
Sales occupations
Customer service occupations
Process, plant and machine operatives
Transport and mobile machine drivers and operatives
Elementary trades and related occupations
Elementary administration and service occupations
Currently unemployed
Student
Prefer not to say
Retired
Other
What is your annual household income, before tax?
*
Required
Under £14,999
£15,000 - £24,999
£25,000 - £34,999
£35,000 - £44,999
£45,000 - £54,999
£55,000 - £64,999
£65,000 - £74,999
£75,000 - £99,999
£100,000 - £149,999
£150,000 or more
Prefer not to say
Do you currently receive any means-tested benefits? e.g. Universal Credit, Pension Credit, Council Tax Support etc
*
Required
Yes
No
Prefer not to say
Which of the following media titles/brands do you consume news from?
Apple News
BBC
Big Issue
Channel 4
City AM
Daily Express
Daily Mail
Daily Mirror
Daily Star
Daily Telegraph
Evening Standard
GB News
Google
Independent/I
ITV News
LinkedIn
Local new e.g. Birmingham Live, Liverpool Echo, Wales Online
Metro
Novara Media
Sky News
The Guardian/Observer
The Sun
The Times/Sunday Times/Financial Times
Tik Tok
Threads
X (Twitter)
Other
Select as many as are relevant
What sort of content are you looking for on the news channels you read?
Activism
Advice
Culture
Current Affairs
Economics
Employment
Entertainment
Environment
Films
Health
Housing
Politics
Social Justice
Sport
Other
Select as many as are relevant
How often do you read news content?
I have alerts set up with news content
Hourly
Daily
Weekly
Monthly
Bi-Monthly
Quarterly
Never
What are your preferred ways to consume news?
Hard Copy (printed publication)
News on social feeds
Radio
Read online
Television
Through news apps on mobile or tablet
Select up to two options
Which type of charities or organisations doing good are you most interested in supporting?
Age related organisations
Animal Welfare
Child Welfare
Educational
Environmental
Healthcare
Homelessness
Local or Community Led
Mental Health & Wellbeing
Poverty
War related organisations
Youth
None
Other
Select as many as are relevant
Have you donated to charity or supported a good cause in the last 12 months?
Yes
No
Would you be able to tell us the names of any organisations you have supported in the last 12 months?
Action Aid
Age UK
Big Issue
Child Poverty Action Group
Crisis
Oxfam
Red Cross
RSPCA
Shelter
The Salvation Army
The Trussell Trust
UNICEF
Young Minds
Prefer not to say
Other
Select as many as are relevant
How did you support them?
Gave them money
Joined their membership scheme
Subscribed to receive news or content from them
Supported them with contributions e.g. food or clothing
Volunteered
Other
Select as many as are relevant
How do you support the Big Issue?
*
Required
I bought a Winter Support Kit last Christmas
I have campaigned for change by signing one of the Big Issue's petitions
I have made an investment with the Big Exchange
I have worked with Big Issue Recruit
I purchase products from the Big Issue Shop
I purchase the magazine from a vendor
I purchase the magazine in a retail store
I read the Big Issue's content online (wesbite or social channels)
I subscribe to the magazine
Make a financial contribution to the Big Issue's work
My organisation received Investment via Big Issue Invest
Other
Select as many as are relevant
What led you to make a financial contribution to the Big Issue
*
Required
I believe in the Big Issue's ethos and mission about creating opportunity for people in poverty
I like that there are so many ways in which the Big Issue now supports people in poverty
I want to support people who are affected by poverty
I want to support the work that the Big Issue does to help vendors move on into employment opportunities
I want to support the work that the Big Issue does to support vendors to access basic services such as healthcare and housing
I want to support the work that the Big Issue does to support vendors to earn an income
I want to support vendors who are working and earning their way out of poverty
I'm outraged that in this day and age so many people in the UK are living in poverty
Other
Select as many as are relevant
Through which channels do you consume Big Issue news content?
bigissue.com
Email newsletter
Facebook
Instagram
LinkedIn
Print magazine
The Big Issue app
Tik-Tok
X (Twitter)
YouTube
Other
Select as many as are relevant
What is your preferred channel for accessing Big Issue news content?
bigissue.com
Email newsletter
Facebook
Instagram
LinkedIn
Print magazine
The Big Issue app
Tik-Tok
X (Twitter)
YouTube
Other
Other
Do you trust the Big Issue's journalism to be factual and accurate?
Yes
No
Unsure
As an estimate, how much time per week do you spend engaging with Big Issue content?
Less than 15 minutes
Less than 30 minutes
30 minutes to an hour
1 hour
2 hours
3 hours
4 hours or more
How often do you access Big Issue content via the followling channels?
Print magazine
bigissue.com
Social media
Big Issue app
Frequency
Print magazine
Every day
2-3 times a week
Once a week
2-3 times a month
Once a month
Less often
I do not access via this channel
bigissue.com
Every day
2-3 times a week
Once a week
2-3 times a month
Once a month
Less often
I do not access via this channel
Social media
Every day
2-3 times a week
Once a week
2-3 times a month
Once a month
Less often
I do not access via this channel
Big Issue app
Every day
2-3 times a week
Once a week
2-3 times a month
Once a month
Less often
I do not access via this channel
Do you share Big Issue's content with others?
Yes, I give the Big Issue magazine to friends/family after reading it
Yes, I encourage others to subscribe
Yes, I share articles via social media
Yes, I share articles via messenger apps
Yes, I talk about aspects of it/content to friends/family
No, I tend not to share it at all
Other
Select as many as are relevant
Is the Big Issue magazine regularly (i.e. every week) available in your local area from a vendor?
Yes
No
Unsure
What is your preferred method of payment when purchasing the Big Issue from a vendor?
Cash
Card
Do you have a preferred or regular Big Issue vendor?
Yes
No
If your preferred Big Issue vendor was not working during a given week, would you purchase the Big Issue from a different vendor?
Yes
No
I would but there are no other vendors local to me
How often do you purchase a copy of the Big Issue magazine from a vendor?
*
Required
Weekly
Bi-Weekly
Monthly
Quarterly
Once every 6 months
Once every 12 months
What motivates you to purchase the Big Issue magazine?
*
Required
Guilt
Helping people affected by poverty
I enjoy the content of the publication
I want to support my local vendor and help them earn
I want to support someone who is working their way out of poverty
Something to read
Supporting a good cause
Supporting a social enterprise
Supporting an individual in my local community
The Big Issue changes lives of people affected by poverty
The cover of the magazine
The vendor's location
Other
Select up to three options
What would encourage you to purchase the Big Issue magazine more frequently?
*
Required
A better understanding of how my money supports people affected by poverty
A better understanding of how the Big Issue is campaiging for the government to tackle the poverty crisis in the UK
A better understanding of how the Big Issue works
A better understanding of the impact the Big Issue makes on vendors lives
A better understanding of what the Big Issue is doing to tackle the poverty crisis in the UK
A better understanding of why my local vendor needs support
A subscription
Better content
Cashless payment
Greater demonstration of the work the Big Issue does to campaign for and create change for people affected by poverty
More content on how the Big Issue changes lives
More content which showcases how others across the UK are creating solutions to the social crises the UK is facing
More disposable income
More pages
More time
More understanding of where my money goes
More vendors selling the magazine on the street
Online options to buy content
Vendors selling other Big Issue products
Select up to three options
What motivates you to subscribe to the Big Issue magazine?
*
Required
Helping people affected by poverty
I enjoy the content of the publication
Something to read
Supporting a good cause
Supporting a social enterprise
The Big Issue changes lives of people affected by poverty
I don’t see/can’t visit my local Big Issue seller on a regular basis
To my knowledge, I don’t have a Big Issue seller in my area
I prefer to receive the issues direct to my door/device
I support the Big Issue in other ways but wanted to provide additional support via a subscription
Other
Select up to three options
How often do you read the following sections of the Big Issue magazine?
Contents page
The Dispatch
Letters
The Editors Letter
News
Opinion
Letter to my Younger Self
The Big Picture
John Bird's column
Culture
The cover story
Games & Puzzles
Big Issue Vendor My Pitch
Frequency
Contents page
Always
Sometimes
Never
The Dispatch
Always
Sometimes
Never
Letters
Always
Sometimes
Never
The Editors Letter
Always
Sometimes
Never
News
Always
Sometimes
Never
Opinion
Always
Sometimes
Never
Letter to my Younger Self
Always
Sometimes
Never
The Big Picture
Always
Sometimes
Never
John Bird's column
Always
Sometimes
Never
Culture
Always
Sometimes
Never
The cover story
Always
Sometimes
Never
Games & Puzzles
Always
Sometimes
Never
Big Issue Vendor My Pitch
Always
Sometimes
Never
Thinking about the following topics, would you like to see the Big Issue cover more, less or do we have the balance right?
Current affairs
Photospreads
Campaigns
Poverty issues
Celebrities
Health
Finance & Economics
Entertainment & Culture
Events
Travel
Social activism
Answer A
Current affairs
More often
About right as it is
Less often
Photospreads
More often
About right as it is
Less often
Campaigns
More often
About right as it is
Less often
Poverty issues
More often
About right as it is
Less often
Celebrities
More often
About right as it is
Less often
Health
More often
About right as it is
Less often
Finance & Economics
More often
About right as it is
Less often
Entertainment & Culture
More often
About right as it is
Less often
Events
More often
About right as it is
Less often
Travel
More often
About right as it is
Less often
Social activism
More often
About right as it is
Less often
Is there any specific feedback you would like to give us about the Big Issue magazine?
When engaging with Big Issue vendors, have you ever paid for a magazine but not taken your copy?
Yes, often
Yes, sometimes
Yes, but rarely
No, never
How many people, including yourself, read your copy of the Big Issue magazine?
1
2
3
4
5 or more
On a scale of 0 to 10, how would you rate your typical purchasing experience from a Big Issue vendor?
*
Required
|
0
|
10
0=Very poor 10=Excellent
On a scale of 0 to 10, how would you rate your subscription experience with the Big Issue?
*
Required
|
0
|
10
0=Very poor 10=Excellent
On a scale of 0-10, how likely are you to recommend the Big Issue's content to a friend, family member or colleague?
*
Required
|
0
|
10
0=Not at all likely 10=Highly likely
Are you aware that you can now subscribe to the Big Issue magazine and receive it delivered to your door?
Yes
No
Do you think the Big Issue magazine offers value for money? (currently priced at £4)
Yes
No
Unsure
Big Issue vendors purchase copies of the Big Issue magazine for £2 each and sell them for £4, keeping the difference. Were you previously aware that this is their business model?
*
Required
Yes
No
How likely are you to purchase the Big Issue magazine in the future?
*
Required
Very likely
Somewhat likely
Undecided
Somewhat unlikely
Very unlikely
How often do you visit bigissue.com?
Daily
Weekly
Monthly
Less frequently than monthly
What time of day do you most often visit bigissue.com?
Morning
Afternoon
Evening
Night
Why do you read content on bigissue.com?
To stay informed about social justice issues
To learn about homelessness and poverty
To read inspiring stories of people overcoming challenges
To support a business aligned with my values
For unique perspectives not found elsewhere
To explore solutions to social and economic issues
For recommendations on arts, culture and lifestyle
For coverage of ethical and sustainable businesses
Because I am a regular supporter of The Big Issue
For exclusive interviews and opinion pieces
Out of curiosity or casual browsing
Other
How do you typically arrive at bigissue.com?
Through social media
Through email newsletters
Through search engine e.g. Google
Through news aggregators e.g. Apple News or Google News
Direct visit to bigissue.com
Other
Select up to 2 options
What content on bigissue.com do you most enjoy?
Current affairs
Photospreads
Campaigns
Community
Employment
Environment
Poverty issues
Celebrities
Health & Wellbeing
Housing
Finance & Economics
Financial & Digital Inclusion
Entertainment & Culture
Events
Travel
Social activism
Help & Advice
Other
Select up to 3 options
What content would you like to see covered more frequently on bigissue.com?
Current affairs
Photospreads
Campaigns
Community
Employment
Environment
Poverty issues
Celebrities
Health & Wellbeing
Housing
Finance & Economics
Financial & Digital Inclusion
Entertainment & Culture
Events
Travel
Social activism
Help & Advice
Other
Select up to 3 options
Have you ever shared content from bigissue.com
Yes, with friends and family
Yes, with colleagues
Yes, through social media
No, I have never shared content
Have you participated in any of the following through bigissue.com
Polls or surveys
Campaign letters
Petitions
Taken out a subscription to the Big Issue magazine
Made a financial contribution to the Big Issue's work
Been inspired to take an action e.g. write to your MP
Clicked on an advert
Select the options you have participated in
On a scale from 0-10, how would you rate the quality of journalism on bigissue.com?
|
0
|
10
Very Poor
Exceptional
0 - Very Poor, 10 - Exceptional
On a scale of 0-10, how easy to understand to understand is the content on bigissue.com?
|
0
|
10
Hard to understand
Easy to understand
Accessibility is how easy content is to read based on factors such as complexity of language and font size etc.
In general, how easily can you find what you are looking for on bigissue.com?
Very easy
Somewhat easy
Somewhat complicated
Very complicated
Is there any specific feedback you would like to give us about bigissue.com and content published there?
Big Issue's Impact Pillars
Big Issue focuses its work on five key impact pillars, all of which are key to dismantling poverty and creating opportunity for individuals and communities currently facing poverty. These pillars are:
Learning & Employment
Financial & Digital Inclusion
Housing
Health & Wellbeing
Community & Environment
Would you be interested in being part of a community that has access to more exclusive content from Big Issue focusing on one or more of these five pillars?
Yes
No
Unsure
Which of our five impact pillars are you most interested in?
Learning & Employment
Financial & Digital Inclusion
Housing
Health & Wellbeing
Community & Environment
Select up to 2 responses
Would you be willing to pay for access to this type of exclusive content and support independent, high impact journalism?
Yes, I would pay up to £5 a month
Yes, I would pay up to £10 a month
Yes, I would pay more than £10 a month
No, I would not be willing to pay
Based on your current understanding, which of these words best describes the Big Issue's brand?
*
Required
Adaptive
Campaigning
Challenging
Collaborative
Dull
Entertaining
Entrepreneurial
Ethical
High-brow
Impactful
Inclusive
Innovative
Irreverent
Life changing
Necessary
Not of interest
Out of date
Out of touch
Populist
Progressive
Provocative
Realistic
Socially minded
Trustworthy
Unique
Witty
Worthy
None of these
Other
Select up to three options
Do you agree with the statement: Big Issue is living up to its mission of creating innovative solutions through enterprise to unlock social and economic opportunities?
*
Required
Strongly agree
Somewhat agree
Neither agree nor disagree
Somewhat disagree
Strongly disagree
Do you feel that as a supporter of the Big Issue you are contributing to helping achieve this mission?
Very much so
Somewhat
Not really
Not at all
Why do you support the Big Issue's campaigning work?
*
Required
I was reading about an issue I’ve experienced on bigissue.com, and wanted to support your campaign
You campaigned on a specific policy I’m passionate about
I have experienced poverty in my own life
I haven’t been directly affected by your campaigns, but I have a strong sense of social justice
I’m politically minded
I trust the Big Issue to stand up for my views
I regularly give my support to social justice causes
I was asked to support your campaign by a friend or family member
Other
How optimistic are you that the UK will make progress towards ending poverty in the next five years?
*
Required
Very optimistic
Somewhat optimistic
Neutral
Not very optimistic
No at all optimistic
Why is ending poverty important to you?
You may like to think about how this would impact your own life, those close to you are UK society more broadly.
Do you respond to advertising in the Big Issue magazine or on bigissue.com
Yes, often
Yes, sometimes
Yes, but rarely
No, never
Are you more likely to respond to advertising in the Big Issue than in other media publications?
Yes
No
Unsure
Which supermarket do you most regularly shop at?
Aldi
Asda
Lidl
M&S
Morrisons
Sainsburys
Tesco
Waitrose
Other
Other
Do you purchase products from premium supermarket ranges?
Yes, often
Yes, sometimes
Yes, but rarely
No, never
Have you been on holiday in the last year?
Yes
No
Where was your holiday?
In the UK
Abroad
How much did the holiday cost you, in total?
Less than £500
£500 - £1,000
£1,000 - £1,500
£1,500 - £2,000
More than £2,000
Have you purchased a car in the last three years?
Yes
No
Big Issue would like to thank you for not only your continued support of our work and our mission, but for taking the time to complete our 2024 Readership Survey.
The feedback collected is vital in allowing us to improve the work we do.
As a thank you for taking part in this survey we will be giving away a £100 John Lewis voucher to a randomly selected respondent. If you would like to take part in this draw you will need to supply your email address below.
Please note, you do not need to supply your email address to complete this survey. If you choose not to supply an email address you will not be entered into the prize draw and you will not be added to our mailing lists.
The email address you provide below will only be used for the purposes of the prize draw and will be used to contact you if you are selected in the prize draw.
All data submitted through this survey will be stored and used in compliance with GDPR
and the privacy policy of Big Issue Group (
https://www.bigissue.com/privacy-policy/
)
Email
For entry into prize draw
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