Moves to ban the use of ‘exploitative’ unpaid internships have come a step closer after a Government announcement on Thursday.
Ministers launched a call for evidence into the practice, saying it formed part of its plans for the biggest upgrade in workers’ rights in a generation.
The Government said internships offered young people invaluable experience as they build their careers, but added that when they were unpaid or paid below the national minimum wage, they created barriers to equal opportunity based on where people live, how old they are, or their social background.
Unpaid internships are already largely banned under current law, when they are not part of an educational or training course, but ministers said they wanted to strengthen protections by gathering more evidence on how unpaid internships affect young people, and how businesses use them to assess candidates.
Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds said: “Every young person deserves the chance to build their career through quality work experience, but good employers are still being undercut by those exploiting interns by illegally asking them to work for free.
“Our Plan for Change seeks to break down barriers to opportunity, which is why we will strengthen protections for younger workers so that internships are accessible to everyone, ensuring they have the foundations to build a strong and successful career.”
Employment Rights Minister Justin Madders said: “Internships provide a strong platform from which to build a career, allowing young people to learn new skills and giving employers a pipeline of future talent to hire from to grow their business.
“Employers should not be taking advantage of the opportunities on offer by not paying their interns.
“This move will help us crack down on those not following the rules, so that the next generation of interns are able to gain that crucial experience whilst earning a fair wage.”
Nick Harrison, chief executive of the Sutton Trust, said: “Taking action on internships with low or no pay is absolutely the right thing to do.
“We’ve found that 61% of internships undertaken by recent graduates were unpaid or underpaid, effectively excluding those who can’t rely on financial support from family.
“Employers will benefit from the wider pool of talent available to them, and three quarters of employers told us a ban wouldn’t impact the number of opportunities they provide.
“Today’s announcement marks a significant step in the right direction.”
The call for evidence will run for 12 weeks.
Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner said: “Unpaid internships lock working-class kids out of jobs and opportunities, depriving them of the chance others take for granted.
“Young people trying to get started in their career are missing out on their dream jobs because they simply cannot afford to work for nothing.
“That’s why we are taking action, and this call for evidence is the first step in delivering proper fairness and opportunity to young workers. We want to hear about people’s experiences so we can build the evidence and act on this issue, creating the change that is needed.”
