Big Issue vendors across the UK have seen their incomes fall sharply during recent heatwaves, the charity behind the magazine has said, with sales down by roughly 20% on average during weeks when extreme heat was declared.
Immediate impact on earnings
The charity reported that during the week beginning 22 June — when the UK recorded its highest June temperature of 37.7C — sales dropped by an average of 22% compared with the same week the previous year. Some areas experienced even steeper falls: vendors in the West Midlands and Wales recorded declines of 34% and 33% respectively.
Catherine Parsons, managing director of the Big Issue, said the decline hits sellers who rely on the income that selling the magazine generates. She warned that while many people treat high temperatures as a nuisance, they translate into immediate financial hardship for those who sell the publication.
“For most of us, extreme heat is an inconvenience. For Big Issue vendors, it means earning significantly less and making difficult decisions about rent, food and other essentials,” Parsons said.
Vendors face pressure as footfall falls
Street sellers reported fewer potential customers during hot weather, with people more likely to avoid lingering outdoors. George Anderson, who sells the magazine near Broadcasting House in London, described how lower footfall and the desire to escape warm conditions have made it harder to find buyers.
“People are uncomfortable, they don't want to hang around in the heat and chat,” Anderson said, describing his sales as "definitely down" during the hottest days.
The Big Issue is distributed by people experiencing homelessness or financial instability, who buy each copy wholesale and sell it to the public. The organisation said reduced selling hours and lost sales in extreme temperatures have an immediate effect on vendors’ ability to pay for essentials.
Support measures and the broader picture
To help sellers cope, Big Issue teams have been providing practical supplies such as sunscreen, caps and water bottles. However, the charity acknowledged that in the most dangerous conditions it is not safe for vendors to remain on the streets and that curtailed working hours cannot be fully mitigated by such measures.
The recent spell of extreme heat was recorded as the UK's fifth heatwave of the year, and the Met Office has cautioned that the current summer could be the hottest on record. The charity's figures and accounts of the effect on vendors underline how climate-related events are already affecting livelihoods in immediate ways, not only long-term infrastructure or health systems.
| Area | Sales fall during heatwave week |
|---|---|
| UK average | 20% |
| Week of 22 June | 22% |
| West Midlands | 34% |
| Wales | 33% |
Those figures point to a pattern in which short-term extreme weather events reduce opportunities for people who depend on in-person transactions. For vendors, missing a single day can mean the difference between covering rent or falling behind on essential bills.
- Sales fell by an average of 20% during declared heatwave weeks.
- The week of 22 June — when temperatures reached 37.7C — saw a 22% decline year-on-year.
- Certain regions were more severely affected, with the West Midlands and Wales down 34% and 33% respectively.
The Big Issue has urged authorities and local partners to consider how to support people selling on the streets during extreme weather, arguing that practical assistance and contingency measures are needed now, not only in long-term climate adaptation planning.
As heatwaves become more frequent, the charity says its vendors will remain at risk of losing income on the hottest days unless further steps are taken to protect their health and livelihoods.
