Launching this month, Big Issue and giffgaff are entering into a multi-year partnership which will see us distribute devices to Big Issue vendors across the UK, helping them to increase their earnings through cashless payments – as well as providing them access to learning and training opportunities to improve their digital skills and confidence.
The partnership builds on a trial that ran during 2023-24, supporting 250 vendors to get connected with devices. This invaluable support helped them to increase their magazine sales by an average of 30% – which could mean up to an extra £500 per year for each vendor.
And as Christmas approaches – when Big Issue vendors typically make the most sales – this fresh commitment and support from giffgaff hopes to unlock crucial earning potential for sellers.
It’s a “big help”, explains London vendor Dorina. “Being cashless is good,” she said. “I used to have a card reader, but it broke in the rain. Now I can just use my phone straight away, they touch [their cards] on my phone and then that’s it.”
Hammersmith vendor Dave Martin has had a positive experience too. He hated “turning people away” when they didn’t have cash, or when his card reader lost signal.
“The internet would drop out, and [the card reader] wouldn’t work,” he said. “I’ve had no issues at all with the phone. When people see that you can do contactless, you can just see the relief on their faces.”
And London vendor Martin McKenzie uses the phone to stay in contact with his “large circle of friends”, and described the contactless feature on his phone as “very efficient” when he’s making sales.
“They tap straight onto your phone, and it drops into your bank a few days later,” he said. “A lot of my customers have picked up on that.”
The partnership is not just about increasing sales, explains Felipe Ramirez, who coordinates Big Issue’s national cashless programme.
“giffgaff has not just ‘donated phones’, per se,” Ramirez said. “They have established an important means of communication between vendors and frontline staff which helps our vendors to access services more efficiently.
“The giffgaff partnership has effectively become a springboard for vendors to become more involved in an increasingly digital world.”
Access to essential services like healthcare and banking often relies on digital connectivity. With their giffgaff phones, vendors can more easily access these vital services, explains Ramirez. They can also combat the social isolation that often accompanies homelessness and poverty.
“The giffgaff phones have provided a much-needed lifeline,” he said. “They have reduced the impact of separation experienced by migrant communities, allowing them to stay in regular contact with their social networks back home.”
Dorina, a vendor in London, is expecting her first baby. The 24-year-old lives with her partner and mother-in-law in London, but her giffgaff phone means she can keep her family in Romania and Ireland updated on her pregnancy. “I used to not have internet, I had a bad phone,” she said. “Now it’s good. We call most days.”
As well as donating refurbished devices, giffgaff is investing directly in Big Issue’s frontline teams – enabling them to provide training and support to upskill vendors and help them feel more confident using these devices in their everyday lives.
“Prior to the donation of phones, a large share of our vendors were unable to contact Vendor Outreach Workers at all,” said Ramirez. “This delayed the process of accessing support services. And the giffgaff phones have also made it easier for frontline staff to safeguard vulnerable vendors who may be at risk or facing difficult living situations.”
Helping people progress into jobs they love
Beyond support for the UK’s vendor community, connectivity also provides a vital lifeline for job-seekers. Many job applications, interviews, and training programs are now exclusively online; more than 22% of working age people without access to the internet are unemployed, according to government figures, compared to 3.8% nationally.
To tackle this problem, the partnership with giffgaff is going even further to support Big Issue Recruit (BIR) – providing 400 jobseekers with devices to support their job search and help them progress into roles they love.
People who sign up to BIR are partnered with a personal job coach who helps them across the board – from building their self-esteem and identifying jobs that would be a good fit, to writing CVs and preparing for interviews.
And of course, connecting candidates plays a key role in supporting them on the journey to employment. From helping them access courses to develop their skills and researching job roles, to scheduling and taking part in interviews, and then joining and settling into new roles – having a device of their own helps candidates to build their job readiness and support them to transition smoothly into the world of work.
“We’re proud to continue our partnership with Big Issue Group, donating refurbished devices so that vendors across the UK can take cashless payments and connect to essential services and support,” said Ash Schofield, giffgaff CEO.
“And I’m delighted that we’re going even further, by extending our support to Big Issue Recruit. We know that mobile connectivity plays a key role in unlocking access to opportunity, and together with Big Issue Group, we are ready to play our part in helping people break the cycle of poverty, empowering them to achieve their potential.”
In its first year of operation – from October 2022 – BIR registered and supported 109 candidates, helping them into employment. It’s good for the economy, too: over that year, the specialist recruitment service delivered more than £755,000 in social value. And through this innovative partnership with giffgaff, BIR aims to continue transforming lives.
“We are delighted to be able to announce this ground-breaking, multi-year partnership with giffgaff,” said Russell Blackman, managing director for Big Issue. It will enable Big Issue to “support and improve the lives of many more of our vendors and Big Issue Recruit candidates,” he added.
“This partnership will turbocharge our social impact through our financial and digital inclusion frontline services.
“It directly aligns with our ‘hand up’ ethos, providing individuals with the tools to earn, learn and thrive. We’re very excited to be working with giffgaff to deliver such meaningful impact.”
Closing the connectivity gap also has the potential to supercharge the economy. Research from the Good Things Foundation – a UK digital inclusion charity – shows that investing £1.4 billion in digital upskilling would reap economic benefits of £13.7 billion for the UK. That’s a £9.48 return for every £1 invested, and it’s exactly the type of work being kick-started by giffgaff and Big Issue.
Speaking about the impact of the new partnership, Penny Walster, Director of Programmes and Partnerships at Big Issue Changing Lives, said that giffgaff’s support will help hundreds more people escape the “trap of poverty” while also generating more meaningful returns for communities and the economy.
“At the Big Issue, our mission revolves around creating income generating opportunities for marginalised people,” she said. “Our partnership with giffgaff allows us to take very real practical steps.”
Support your local vendor this Christmas by buying a magazine, subscribing online or purchasing a £35 Vendor Support Kit. bigissue.com/Christmas
