Work experience Pay and hours for young workers

Someone doing work experience or an 'internship' might have the rights of either an employee or worker. This depends on what terms they have agreed with their employer.

This means they have the same rights as an employee or worker for working hours and rest breaks.

Pay

Someone doing work experience has the right to be paid at least the National Minimum Wage.

This is unless they're a student on a placement as part of a further or higher education course in the UK and:

  • they have to do the work experience as part of their course
  • they do the work experience before their course ends
  • the work experience does not last more than one year

Some students might choose to work to get experience relevant to their course. In this case, they have the right to be paid the National Minimum Wage.

Someone below school leaving age does not have the right to be paid the National Minimum Wage.

Internships

Someone doing an internship has the right to be paid at least the National Minimum Wage. This is unless they are only observing someone else at work and not doing any work themselves. This is sometimes called 'job shadowing'.

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