US EditionCivil service interns must be working class, government says
GREATER LONDON, ENGLAND, JUL 31 – Only students from lower socio-economic backgrounds will be eligible for civil service internships from 2026 to improve representation, with 12% currently in Fast Stream roles, officials said.
- In 2024, the UK government announced that civil service internships will be available exclusively to students from lower socio-economic backgrounds, aiming to improve working-class representation within Whitehall.
- This decision follows data showing only 12% of Fast Stream entrants in 2024 came from lower socio-economic groups, despite them being about a quarter of university students.
- The changes, driven by Pat McFadden, will take effect in summer 2026 and make internship eligibility depend on parental occupation at age 14, with successful interns prioritized for the Fast Stream.
- The government also plans to reduce London-based civil service jobs by 12,000 by 2030, relocating roles to regional campuses and aiming to place half of Fast Stream positions outside London.
- These reforms aim to diversify the civil service and bring an estimated £729 million boost to local economies, while sparking debate over opportunity and meritocracy within public services.
13 Articles
13 Articles
The socio-economic background of civil servants needs to change
The socio-economic background of civil servants needs to change melissa.ittoo Fri, 01/08/2025 - 14:47 No internship scheme will change the fundamental structural points which the civil service needs to address. 4 Comment Heloise Dunlop Hannah Keenan Alex Thomas Institute for Government Yes The six-to-eight-week paid civil service internship will now only be open to applicants from lower socio-economic backgrounds. Civil service Civil servants …
Evening Standard
Civil service internships to be restricted to working class
Changes are expected to take effect from summer 2026.
Civil Service launches drive to attract interns from less well-off groups
Pat McFadden, the chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and the minister responsible for civil service reform, said that Whitehall needed to reflect the broader community. The post Civil Service launches drive to attract interns from less well-off groups appeared first on Personnel Today.
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