The Big Issue - UK (2020-08-24)

This week marks a key and treacherous

moment for people already financially

struggling as a result of Covid.

In England, the moratorium on evictions

for rents was set to end on August 23. This

threatened to bring countless people into

homelessness through no fault of their own.

Wales and Scotland extended provision to

protect renters from eviction. As we went

to print it remained unclear if Westminster

would follow suit.

At the same time, the furlough scheme

clock ticked down. More than nine million

people have been on furlough, allowing

them to stay in employment and keep

heads above water. As redundancies in all

sectors grow, so do fears. It has hit jobs

from manufacturing and retail, to

entertainment, aviation and hospitality.

Nowhere is immune.

The heartbreaking reality of Covid’s toll

on previously secure lives is told over the

page. With RORA, the Ride Out Recession

Alliance, we must work even harder. These

are our two main aims:

• To keep people in their homes


• To keep people in employment
  and help build job creation schemes

Experts in finance, economics, social

policy, housing, employment, construction

and Big Issue readers have joined. Now

action is necessary. Turn the page to join the

RORA fightback.

Latest on pages 4 & 5 >

ACTION

IS

NEEDED

NOW

RORA

FOR

ROAR

CONTENTSCONTENTS

P

NEWS

How The Big Issue is helping give young

offenders a better chance for the future

P

LETTER TO MY

YOUNGER SELF

From Wales to the underworld: Lucifer

star Tom Ellis is nostalgic for childhood

caravan holidays in the Brecon Beacons

P20 – COVER STORY

GAME CHANGERS

The Paralympics levelled the playing

field – and changed sporting history

P

HOUSING CRISIS

There’s an effort to fill up empty homes

with the people who need them – and

it’s going global

P3 4

PECKHAM WRY

Why much-loved Only Fools and Horses

actor David Challis gets the full VIP

treatment every time he visits Belgrade

P

CURTAINS FOR MUSIC?

Just as the classical world was tuning up

for its return the plug was pulled again

P

FIX IT: YOUR TELLY

REMOTE CONTROL

After working overtime in lockdown it’s

time to show your TV remote some TLC

P

MY PITCH

Easton at White City is delighted to be

back in harmony with regular customers

now he’s able to return to his busy pitch

P30 BOOKS

WINNING TACTICS FOR

CONFLICT RESOLUTION

Illustration:

Joseph Joyce

P

FROM 24 AUGUST 2020 BIGISSUE.COM | 03

Thisweekmarksakeyandtreacherous

momentforpeoplealreadyfinancially

strugglingasaresultofCovid.

InEngland,themoratoriumonevictions

forrentswassettoendonAugust23.This

threatenedtobringcountlesspeopleinto

homelessnessthroughnofaultoftheirown.

WalesandScotlandextendedprovisionto

protectrentersfromeviction.Aswewent

toprintitremainedunclearifWestminster

wouldfollowsuit.

Atthesametime,thefurloughscheme

clocktickeddown.Morethanninemillion

peoplehavebeenonfurlough,allowing

themtostayinemploymentandkeep

headsabovewater.Asredundanciesinall

sectorsgrow,sodofears.Ithashitjobs

frommanufacturingandretail,to

entertainment,aviationandhospitality.

Nowhereisimmune.

TheheartbreakingrealityofCovid’stoll

onpreviouslysecurelivesistoldoverthe

page.WithRORA,theRideOutRecession

Alliance,wemustworkeven harder. These

are our two main aims:

• Tokeeppeopleintheirhomes


• Tokeeppeopleinemployment
  and help build job creation schemes

Expertsinfinance,economics,social

policy,housing,employment,construction

andBigIssuereadershavejoined.Now

actionisnecessary.Turn the page to join the

RORA fightback.

Latest on pages 4 & 5 >

ACTION

IS

NEEDED

NOW

RORA

FOR

ROAR

CONTENTS

P

NEWS
HowTheBigIssueishelpinggiveyoung
offenders a better chance for the future

P

LETTERTOMY
YOUNGERSELF
FromWalestotheunderworld:Lucifer
starTomEllisisnostalgicforchildhood
caravan holidays in the Brecon Beacons

P20–COVERSTORY

GAMECHANGERS
TheParalympicslevelledtheplaying
field – and changed sporting history

P

HOUSINGCRISIS

There’sanefforttofillupemptyhomes

withthepeoplewho need them – and

it’s going global

P3 4

PECKHAMWRY

Whymuch-lovedOnlyFoolsandHorses

actorDavidChallisgetsthefullVIP

treatment every time he visits Belgrade

P

CURTAINSFORMUSIC?

Justastheclassicalworldwastuningup

for its return the plug was pulled again

P

FIXIT:YOURTELLY

REMOTECONTROL

Afterworkingovertimeinlockdownit’s

time to show your TV remote some TLC

P

MYPITCH

EastonatWhiteCityisdelightedtobe

backinharmonywithregularcustomers

now he’s able to return to his busy pitch

P30BOOKS

WINNINGTACTICSFOR

CONFLICT RESOLUTION

Illustration:

Joseph Joyce

P

FROM 24 AUGUST 2020 BIGISSUE.COM| 03