MOVES to ban the use of exploitative unpaid internships have come a step closer after the government launched a call for evidence into the practice today.

Ministers say the evidence gathering forms part of its plans for the biggest upgrade in workers’ rights in a generation.

The government said internships offered young people invaluable experience as they build their careers.

But it added that when they were unpaid or paid below the national minimum wage, they created barriers to equal opportunity based on where people live, how old they are, or their social background.

Unpaid internships are already largely banned under current law, when they are not part of an educational or training course.

However, ministers said they wanted to strengthen protections by gathering more evidence on how unpaid internships affect young people, and how businesses use them to assess candidates.

Chief executive of the Sutton Trust Nick Harrison said: “Taking action on internships with low or no pay is absolutely the right thing to do.

“We’ve found that 61 per cent of internships undertaken by recent graduates were unpaid or underpaid, effectively excluding those who can’t rely on financial support from family.”