Writing for the BBC, Judith Burns reports on new Sutton Trust research into unpaid internships.

Taking an unpaid internship can cost an individual £926 a month in London or £804 in Manchester, suggests research for an education charity.

The Sutton Trust says the cost of working for nothing rules out all but the wealthy and wants most interns to be paid at least minimum wage.

…

Dr Lee Elliot Major, the trust’s director of development and policy, said taking an unpaid internship was “beyond the means of the vast majority of individuals”.

“Paying all interns who work for over a month the minimum wage would significantly improve access to these placements for those from more modest backgrounds, offering them a stepping stone into many coveted jobs, thus increasing social mobility.”

 

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