When James Allerton used to check his sugar levels in the street, passers-by sometimes thought he was injecting drugs. Once, somebody even phoned the police.
“I had to tell them, look in my bag – that’s a diabetic monitor,” Allerton says.
At the time, Allerton was managing both diabetes and homelessness. After a relationship broke down in 2010, he moved from his hometown of Bradford to Derby, turning what was already a difficult situation into something even worse. In a new city, cut off from friends and his support network, he spent his days on the streets and his nights in hostels. He became isolated.
It was then that he found Big Issue and managed to turn his life around – he now lives in a rented flat in Ilkeston, Derbyshire, surrounded by “a great community”.
The Big Issue operates on a hand-up, not hand-out model that prioritises dignity and enterprise. Vendors buy each magazine upfront at 50% of the cover price and sell it at full price. The margin they earn is their income – reinforcing independence, dignity, and enterprise rather than dependency.
But rebuilding a life today isn’t only about finding housing or employment. It’s also about connectivity.
To address this thoroughly modern problem, Big Issue has teamed up with giffgaff to offer Big Issue vendors a practical solution: a refurbished mobile phone and training in the digital skills needed to use it confidently.
Because in 2026, a smartphone isn’t a nice-to-have accessory – it’s an essential tool for navigating the world. Digital connectivity has become part of our infrastructure, every bit as important as electricity and running water. According to Ofcom, approximately 2.8 million people (5% of the adult population) in Britain lack access to the internet, and even for those who do have it, gaps in digital skills can shape lives in profound ways, affecting health, work opportunities and our sense of belonging.
Try to imagine living a day without your phone. You probably can’t. Phones are central to staying in touch with family, accessing information and participating in your community. And these challenges are amplified even further if you don’t have a place to live.
Take healthcare. Today, 39 million people use the NHS app to book routine doctor’s appointments or order repeat prescriptions – services that increasingly assume stable access to the internet.
Similarly, homelessness can make work more difficult. Allerton works as a Big Issue seller, but according to a 2023 report [pdf] from the government about three-quarters of adults (74%) only use cash occasionally or rarely, making it harder for vendors to make cash sales.
Allerton is one of the Big Issue vendors who has benefited from the giffgaff partnership, and it’s had a significant impact on his life. With his new phone, he can find the information he needs, stay in touch with friends and family, and remain connected to the rest of the world. “I have a friend who is like a sister to me,” he says. “We were friends in Derby, but lost touch when I moved away. She messaged me on Facebook, and now we keep in contact that way.”
The phone is proving useful in other ways, too. Allerton now monitors his health by wirelessly connecting it to the blood glucose monitor on his arm, checking his sugar levels discreetly and avoiding the misunderstandings he once faced.
“I’m a lot happier now because all I have to do is go on to my arm, scan it, and that’s it … it’ll just give me my sugar readings,” he says.
It’s also helped him with his work selling the Big Issue. Using a card reader connected to his phone, he can now accept contactless payments. According to the Big Issue, vendors who accept digital payments increase their sales by about 30% on average – roughly an extra £520 in their pocket each year.
Scale matters here. In its first year, the campaign delivered 687 refurbished smartphones to vendors and jobseekers, alongside nearly 3,000 financial and digital inclusion coaching sessions by frontline teams. Participants report significant gains in confidence: 88% feel more capable using digital technology, while 81% feel more confident managing their finances.
The economic case is equally compelling. In its first 14 months, the programme generated £453,000 in social value – a £3.60 return for every £1 invested – demonstrating that inclusion-focused interventions can be both effective and scalable.
Crucially, the partnership also challenges who is seen and heard in conversations about digital progress. By centring lived experience, the campaign reframes digital exclusion not as personal failure, but as a shared societal responsibility.
“I really like doing the Big Issue. I like getting out there, meeting new people and making new friends,” says Allerton.
Perhaps most importantly, though, the phone allows for one of life’s simple pleasures. Allerton keeps up with his childhood team, Stoke City, through a WhatsApp group chat.
“We have a bit of banter,” he says. “I feel a lot more connected to people now. If I’m feeling low or I need help.”
Having a phone is much more than just having a device. It’s an essential connection that’s enabled Allerton to participate more fully in society and regain a sense of stability. The difference is clear: he’s no longer isolated or viewed with suspicion. He’s online, in touch, and part of the same digital world as everyone else.
Learn more about giffgaff’s partnership with the Big Issue at giffgaff.com
