The UK government has announced a major overhaul of its civil service internship programme, limiting access exclusively to students from lower socio-economic backgrounds in a move aimed at diversifying the upper echelons of Whitehall.
Under the new policy, the prestigious summer internship scheme—designed to provide university students with experience in government—will only be open to applicants from working-class backgrounds. Eligibility will be determined based on the occupations of students’ parents when they were 14 years old, using a classification system backed by the Social Mobility Commission.
Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Pat McFadden, who is leading the reform, said the changes are necessary to ensure the civil service better reflects the people it serves. “We need to get more working-class young people into the civil service so it harnesses the broadest range of talent,” he told the BBC. “Government makes better decisions when it represents and understands the people we serve.”
The paid internship—worth £430 a week—runs for six to eight weeks and gives students the opportunity to write ministerial briefings, shadow senior officials, plan events and support policy research. Around 200 placements will be offered each summer. Those who perform well will be fast-tracked to the final stages of the Fast Stream graduate recruitment programme, which trains future leaders of the civil service.
Currently, only 12% of Fast Stream recruits come from lower socio-economic backgrounds, despite this group comprising around a quarter of the university population. Ministers believe the new internship restrictions could help correct that imbalance.
The announcement has sparked political debate. Conservative shadow Cabinet Office minister Mike Wood criticised the move, calling it “leftist social engineering.” He warned that it risks excluding capable candidates based solely on background. “We all want to see greater opportunity for working-class young people,” he said. “But this scheme sends the message that unless you fit a particular social profile, you’re no longer welcome.”
However, the reform has been welcomed by civil service unions and social mobility advocates. Dave Penman, general secretary of the FDA union, called the change “a step in the right direction” but said more must be done to help working-class staff progress to senior roles. “For people from disadvantaged backgrounds, even if you get in, you don’t always get on,” he said.
Sarah Atkinson, CEO of the Social Mobility Foundation, also praised the decision. “It’s encouraging to see the government leading by example,” she said.
The internship reforms are part of a broader effort by the Labour government to “rewire” how the state works, including relocating half of Fast Stream placements outside London by 2030.
