Summary
The government has decided that civil service internships will be limited to students from working-class families. This change aims to increase the number of working-class people in the civil service, and successful interns will have a better chance of joining the Fast Stream, a key pathway for civil service careers. The change will start in 2026, and the internships help students gain valuable government experience.
Key Facts
- The government will offer civil service internships only to students from working-class backgrounds.
- The decision is part of a plan to make the civil service more representative of the wider population.
- Internships will be assessed based on students' family backgrounds when they were 14.
- Successful interns will have a higher chance of joining the Fast Stream after graduation.
- Currently, only 12% of Fast Stream applicants come from a working-class background.
- The change will begin with the 2026 summer internship programme.
- The initiative aims to provide more pathways into senior civil service roles outside London.
- The Labour government has been critical of current civil service practices since taking office.
