THE minimum costs of a one-month internship have increased by 15 per cent since before the pandemic, a new analysis by the Labour Party has revealed.
The analysis, published yesterday evening, found that interns would have to pay £160 more to do a one-month internship in London with the higher costs of essentials considered, while in Manchester interns would have to pay £127 more a month.
Record levels of inflation mean that the minimum costs of doing a one-month internship have increased by 14 per cent in London and 15 per cent in Manchester since 2018, Labour said.
It added that average rents are £84 a month more expensive in London than in 2018 with inflation considered, while monthly transport costs are 25 per cent higher in Manchester.
Summer internships can be a route for young people to get jobs, but the increasing costs may mean fewer people can afford to do them, Labour said.
Shadow employment minister Justin Madders said: “It’s a disgrace that under the Tories, today’s young people are still being shut out from certain career pathways because they can’t afford to work unpaid for weeks on end.
“A fair day’s work should mean a fair day’s pay.
“This Tory government has continuously resisted calls to properly ban unpaid internships over the years despite the overwhelming evidence that it acts as a block on social mobility.
“This means many jobs are increasingly the preserve of those who can afford to take on an unpaid internship.”
Mr Madders said that Labour’s “New Deal for Working People” will ban unpaid internships and “open up routes into employment” for more students and young people.
“We will also boost protections in work through the introduction of a single status of ‘worker with legal rights’ from day one,” the Labour MP added.
The Labour Party said it will ban unpaid internships apart from when they are a part of education or a training course.
It added that it would improve employment rights for interns by introducing one status for all workers apart from those who are self-employed.
A Labour statement said: “Internships remain a grey area, and unpaid internships are not explicitly prohibited.
“This means some bad bosses can still take advantage of young workers as they look to enter sometimes very competitive jobs markets.”
