Greg Barradale

NEW: Labour pledges £12m to stop 1,000+ veterans becoming homeless

Funding boost comes after Big Issue revealed doubts over future of scheme - with fears March 2026 cliff-edge could see veteran rough sleeping surge. Led to pressure from Tories/Lib Dems
www.bigissue.com/news/housing...

NEW: Shadow defence sec James Cartlidge says Starmer's gov "must urgently confirm" funding for homeless veterans after @bigissue.com reveals doubts over cash could leave hundreds homeless

Story: www.bigissue.com/news/housing...

NEW: Labour should 'urgently' act on Right to Buy reforms to stop councils losing millions buying back Yo-yo Homes they owned just a few years previously, Andy Burnham's deputy Paul Dennett says

Comes after @bigissue.com found 120+ examples, incl in GM👇

Story: www.bigissue.com/uncategorise...

UPDATE: Former veterans' minister Johnny Mercer says he's "very angry" after @bigissue.com reveals cash which helped 1k+ veterans off the streets is in doubt.

"On one hand this government say they will look after veterans. But when they think no-one is looking, they turn off the funding"

Charities and stars call on UK government to set child poverty reduction targets Signatories of open letter include National Children’s Bureau, Barnardo’s and celebrities such as Emilia Clarke

“Quite simply, we’re worried that the government does not want its homework marked when it comes to child poverty"

Guardian reporting on @bigissue.com campaign ramping up pressure on government to set firm targets on reducing child poverty

www.theguardian.com/society/2025...

Hundreds of veterans face homelessness as future of support scheme uncertain Keir Starmer promised millions towards supporting veterans under threat of homelessness. Big Issue looks at how those promises worked out.

🚨EXC: Starmer promised to house all veterans in need. But scheme which has got 1k vets off street is in doubt
👉Veterans orgs tell me future cash is uncertain
👉Orgs warn they'd have to shut housing without funding
👉 One org listed by gov as taking referrals never got cash

Hundreds of veterans face homelessness as future of support scheme uncertain Keir Starmer promised millions towards supporting veterans under threat of homelessness. Big Issue looks at how those promises worked out.

Story here: www.bigissue.com/news/housing...

🚨 @bigissue.com EXCLUSIVE: Hundreds of veterans could be made homeless as cash for housing in doubt

Starmer promised to 'house all veterans in need'

But orgs funded by Op Fortitude, which provides 900 beds, say they don't know if money will continue past March. Warn rough sleeping could increase

A bigger confirmation of being American than any passport could ever be

Disabled children left waiting months for benefits due to DWP delays Single mother Maryam had to wait three months to get child disability allowance for her seven-year-old daughter, who has kidney cancer.

🚨 Disabled children are having to wait for nearly four months to receive benefit payments due to government delays - double the time the DWP is meant to process applications in

@cjayanetti.bsky.social for @bigissue.com

www.bigissue.com/news/social-...

Revealed: These are the Right to Buy homes councils have lost millions on buying back Explore the 120 Right to Buy homes councils have lost millions re-buying – and find out why Labour's reforms might not stop Yo-yo Homes.

🚨Exclusive: Investigation from @bigissue.com reveals councils lost £15M repurchasing 'Yo-yo Homes' sold under Right to Buy, with sellers pocketing profits as homelessness rises. Labour faces calls for reform. #YoYoHomes #RightToBuy #HousingCrisis

www.bigissue.com/news/housing...

A House of Dynamite….don’t think I’ve ever seen a film that so lacked the confidence to actually make the point it wanted to make

At least it was two acts long in runtime as well as plot. Felt like a bottle episode of a v mid prestige TV show

Watch the Sum of All Fears instead

🧨We've dropped the full Yo-yo Home Files (so far!) today. Read them here: www.bigissue.com/news/housing...

🪀What's going on with these Yo-yo Homes?

Councils have no choice but to sell under Right to Buy.

Labour’s keeping the policy going.

Yet homelessness is so bad it often makes, sort of, financial sense, to just buy the homes back – even if it means someone gets rich

10) In February 2017, Ashfield's council sold a council home under Right to Buy for £19,903

In July 2022, they bought it back for £96,000

💸That’s an almost 5x loss of £76,097

9) In December 2016, Stockport Council sold a council home under Right to Buy for £32,300

In May 2023, they bought it back for £135,000

💸That’s a loss of £102,700

8) In August 2018, Doncaster Council’s ALMO St Leger Homes sold a council home under Right to Buy for £46,920

In March 2025, they bought it back for £160,000

💸That’s a loss of £113,080

7) In October 2016, Wigan’s council sold a council home under Right to Buy for £56,000

In May 2022, they bought it back for £190,000

💸That’s a loss of £134,000

6) In January 2019, Rotherham’s council sold a council home under Right to Buy for £30,750

In July 2024, they bought it back for £165,000

💸That’s a 5x loss of £134,250 in five years

5) In March 2014, Swindon’s council sold a council home under Right to Buy for £54,050

In April 2023, they bought it back for £250,000 (with another £29k on repairs and voids)

💸That’s a loss of £195,950

4) In September 2015, Bristol’s council sold a council home under Right to Buy for £32,200

In January 2025, they bought it back for £195,000

💸That’s a 6x loss of £162,800

3) In October 2014, Hackney Council sold a council home under Right to Buy for £95,050

In June 2021, they bought it back for £365,000

💸That’s a loss of £269,950

2) In August 2016, Hounslow Council sold a council home under Right to Buy for £272,662

In March 2023 they bought it back for £575,000

💸That’s a loss of £302,338 in seven years

1) In January 2016, Greenwich Council sold a council home under Right to Buy for £141,100

In June 2021, they bought it back for £365,000

💸That’s a loss of £223,900 in six years

🚨EXCLUSIVE: Taxpayers are losing millions as councils buy back homes they sold just a few years previously under Right to Buy

I’ve uncovered 120+ examples. Today we’re revealing them all
@bigissue.com

Here's a thread of 10 that will shock you 🧵

👀 Exclusive: How councils lost £15m of taxpayers' money – by buying back homes they sold

Big Issue reporter @gregbarradale.bsky.social here. I've been digging into Yo-yo Homes. They're costing taxpayers millions

Today we're publishing the full list of 120+ Yo-yo Homes we've discovered. Here's a 🧵

Revealed: These are the Right to Buy homes councils have lost millions on buying back Explore the 120 Right to Buy homes councils have lost millions re-buying – and find out why Labour's reforms might not stop Yo-yo Homes.

🚨 We've dropped the full list of Yo-yo Homes we've uncovered...so far

Across 120+ homes, councils have lost over £15m

Will Labour's reforms stop this? It doesn't seem a sure thing

www.bigissue.com/news/housing...

Revealed: These are the Right to Buy homes councils have lost millions on buying back Explore the 120 Right to Buy homes councils have lost millions re-buying – and find out why Labour's reforms might not stop Yo-yo Homes.

Want more on what happens when councils try to reverse Right to Buy?

The system means ex-tenants are getting rich by selling their homes back to councils at a profit

Here are 120+ examples

www.bigissue.com/news/housing...

Revealed: These are the Right to Buy homes councils have lost millions on buying back Explore the 120 Right to Buy homes councils have lost millions re-buying – and find out why Labour's reforms might not stop Yo-yo Homes.

🚨REVEALED: How to lose £15m of taxpayers’ money

Today we’ve published 120+ examples where ex-tenants have sold Right to Buy properties back to councils at profits sometimes >£200k. They’re the Yo-yo Home Files

Across just 13 councils, the losses total over £15m

www.bigissue.com/news/housing...

Yeah. You might in fact say what’s even more interesting is when councils are buying back the exact same homes they’ve been forced to sell under RtB, at a massive loss. Probably nothing in that, though