Firms 'break the law' with unpaid interns

EMPLOYERS are almost certainly breaking the law when they take on unpaid interns because they should be giving them wages if they work, a new report says.

Think-tank the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) and campaign group Internocracy said firms mistakenly believe they are allowed to take on unpaid interns as long as both sides know it was a voluntary position.

Unpaid internships are common in politics, media and the fashion industry, but many companies offer expenses-only positions which cannot be described as work experience, the report added.

Kayte Lawton, research fellow at the IPPR, said: "Too many employers don't understand the law when it comes to hiring interns.

"There is a mistaken belief that employers can take on people on a voluntary basis if both sides agree - but that's not what the law says.

"If an intern is doing work for a company, then they need to be paid - it's as simple as that."