Why Interns Need a Fair Wage

Article

This briefing paper examines the role and nature of unpaid internships in the UK.

Many well-qualified, talented and passionate young people lack the resources to pay their own way through an unpaid internship.

We argue that the informal system of unpaid internships operating in many of our most exciting and influential industries actively excludes young people who come from less well-off families.

We propose a gradual phasing out of unpaid internships and discuss some options for ensuring that more young people have access to paid internship opportunities.

Published by ippr and Internocracy

Related items

  1. A close-up photo of a house flying an England flag from an upstairs window

    Reclaiming Britain: The nation against ethno-nationalism

    How can progressives respond to the increasing ethnonationalist narratives of the political right?
  2. Street scene in financial district, London

    Rule of the market: How to lower UK borrowing costs

    The UK is paying a premium on its borrowing costs that ‘economic fundamentals’, such as the sustainability of its public finances, cannot fully explain. 
  3. A mother and child from behind looking out of a window

    Restoring security: Understanding the effects of removing the two-child limit across the UK

    The government’s decision to lift the two-child limit marks one of the most significant changes to the social security system in a decade.