[UK] Government takes action to tackle unpaid internships

The UK’s younger workers will be protected from employers who flout the rules on the use of exploitative unpaid internships, after the government came a step closer to delivering its manifesto commitment to ban the practice, GOV.UK reports 

On July 17, the government launched its call for evidence on the issue, forming part of the Make Work Pay agenda, the biggest upgrade to workers’ rights in a generation. It will directly benefit over 15 million workers, half of all workers in the UK.  

Unpaid internships are already largely banned under current law when they are not part of an educational or training course. The government is reportedly committed to strengthening these 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 - CEO 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 reportedly run for 12 weeks and close on October 9, 2025. 

Source: GOV.UK

(Quotes via original reporting)

The UK’s younger workers will be protected from employers who flout the rules on the use of exploitative unpaid internships, after the government came a step closer to delivering its manifesto commitment to ban the practice, GOV.UK reports 

On July 17, the government launched its call for evidence on the issue, forming part of the Make Work Pay agenda, the biggest upgrade to workers’ rights in a generation. It will directly benefit over 15 million workers, half of all workers in the UK.  

Unpaid internships are already largely banned under current law when they are not part of an educational or training course. The government is reportedly committed to strengthening these 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 - CEO 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 reportedly run for 12 weeks and close on October 9, 2025. 

Source: GOV.UK

(Quotes via original reporting)