Breaking Barriers: Is the New Civil Service Internship Scheme a Step Forward for Working-Class Youth?

The UK government is launching a new initiative aimed at diversifying the civil service by restricting internship opportunities to students from lower socio-economic backgrounds. This change, spearheaded by Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Pat McFadden, aims to draw more working-class youth into Whitehall, thereby reflecting a broader spectrum of talent that aligns with the populace’s diversity. With only 12% of Fast Stream applicants currently from disadvantaged backgrounds, the government seeks to rectify this imbalance through targeted support for students whose parents held lower-status jobs during their teen years.

Starting in 2026, the newly designed internship program will accept about 200 undergraduates from poorer families. This six to eight-week paid internship, offering a weekly salary of £430, will allow students to gain valuable experience in various civil service functions, including event planning, ministerial brief writing, and research for policy development. Successful interns will be prioritized in the Fast Stream selection process, a key graduate entry point into the civil service.

Critics, including Conservative shadow minister Mike Wood, argue that limiting internship access based on socio-economic background limits meritocracy in favor of ideological agendas. The clash represents a growing tension within the government’s approach to reforming an agency perceived as overwhelmingly privileged—a perspective bolstered by Labour leaders like Sir Keir Starmer, who recently posited that many in Whitehall are too insulated from the realities faced by the broader population.

Furthermore, the government aims to create more job opportunities outside of London, with plans for half of Fast Stream placements to be located in other regions by 2030. As the government embarks on these reforms amid internal and external scrutiny, the effectiveness and implications of this new internship initiative remain to be seen. Will it successfully open up pathways for working-class youth, or will it stifle opportunities based solely on social engineering?