Big Issue Invest

Big Issue Invest is a UK social investment organisation within the Big Issue Group, founded by impact entrepreneurs John Bird and Nigel Kershaw. Since 2005, it has invested more than £100 million in hundreds of charities and social enterprises working to address poverty and inequality. Its funding supports solutions in areas including affordable housing, employment and healthcare, with a focus on communities experiencing high levels of deprivation. In 2025, organisations backed by Big Issue Invest helped improve the lives of 1.9 million people across the UK.

The organisation offers social impact loans of £20,000 to £4 million, with investment shaped around each organisation’s plans and finances. For ventures that need alternatives to standard loan repayments, it provides equity and revenue participation, also known as quasi-equity. It can also combine loans with grant support through blended finance to help organisations grow sustainably and strengthen their financial resilience. Big Issue Invest works with investors and partners to direct capital towards organisations creating positive community change, and provides funding information and investment-readiness guidance for prospective applicants.