Work Experience vs Internship vs Volunteering UK: Pay and Your Rights (2026)
The words intern, work experience and volunteer have no legal status on their own. Your rights depend on your employment status. Rates and rules below are from GOV.UK pages checked on 30 October 2026.
Work experience, an internship and volunteering can look alike on a CV, but the law treats them differently, and the difference decides whether you must be paid. GOV.UK says internships are sometimes called work placements or work experience, that these terms have no legal status, and that an intern’s rights depend on their employment status: a worker, a volunteer or an employee.
This guide separates the three, sets out when the National Minimum Wage applies, and shows which one suits which goal. It is general information, not legal advice; for a specific case, contact the Acas helpline.
Work experience vs internship vs volunteering at a glance
| Work experience | Internship | Volunteering | |
|---|---|---|---|
| What the law looks at | Your employment status, not the title | Your employment status, not the title | Whether you work for a charity, voluntary organisation, associated fundraising body or statutory body |
| Pay | Depends on status; school placements, shadowing and some course placements are exempt | National Minimum Wage if you count as a worker | Only limited benefits such as reasonable travel or lunch expenses |
| Best for | Trying a field or observing | Building experience with real tasks | Giving time to a cause and building skills |
When you must be paid the National Minimum Wage
GOV.UK says an intern is entitled to the National Minimum Wage if they count as a worker. The employer cannot avoid paying it by saying it does not apply or by making a written agreement saying you are a volunteer or not a worker. An intern who is promised a contract of future work is classed as a worker and is due the minimum wage.
The hourly rates changed on 1 April 2026 and the next change is 1 April 2027:
| 21 and over | 18 to 20 | Under 18 | Apprentice | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| From April 2026 | £12.71 | £10.85 | £8.00 | £8.00 |
| From April 2027 | £13.21 | £11.27 | £8.31 | £8.31 |
Apprentices get the apprentice rate if they are under 19, or 19 or over and in the first year of the apprenticeship. After that they get the rate for their age.
When you are not due the minimum wage
GOV.UK lists four situations where an intern is not due the National Minimum Wage:
- Student internships: students required to do an internship of less than one year as part of a UK-based further or higher education course.
- School work experience: students of compulsory school age.
- Voluntary workers: working for a charity, voluntary organisation, associated fundraising body or statutory body, and not paid except for limited benefits such as reasonable travel or lunch expenses.
- Work shadowing: where you only observe and carry out no work.
What the law says about volunteering
A volunteer who gets only limited expenses for a charity or similar body is not entitled to the minimum wage. The label is not decisive, though: GOV.UK says an employer cannot rely on a written agreement calling you a volunteer if you are in fact a worker. If you are doing set hours, being told what to do and promised future paid work, check your status.
To find volunteering, GOV.UK lists these places: NAVCA, NCVO, NHS Volunteering, Reach Volunteering (for skills such as accountancy, marketing, law, management, mentoring or IT), Volunteering Matters, Volunteering Wales and Volunteer Scotland.
Is the law on unpaid internships changing
In July 2025 the government opened a call for evidence on unpaid internships. Law-firm commentary on the response, published in late February 2026, reports that ministers chose not to introduce an outright ban and said they would expand employer guidance and rely on enforcement through the Fair Work Agency. Check the official response and the Lewis Silkin analysis for the detail, and confirm on GOV.UK for any later change.
Which one should you choose
| Your goal | Better fit | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Test a career before committing | Work experience or shadowing | Short, low commitment; shadowing means observing only |
| Add concrete achievements to your CV | Paid internship | Real tasks; check you are paid if you count as a worker |
| Build skills while being time-flexible | Volunteering | Flexible; limited expenses only |
| Apply to graduate schemes | Any, but show results | Schemes look for evidence; see the Graduate Scheme hub |
For psychology-specific routes, see our guide to work experience for psychology students, where the BPS states it does not support unpaid Assistant Psychologist roles.
Checklist before you accept an unpaid placement
- Ask in writing whether the role is paid, and what status you will have.
- Check whether it is part of your course, since only certain course placements are exempt.
- Ask what tasks you will do. If you only observe, it is shadowing; if you do work, you may be a worker.
- Ask whether a future paid contract is promised, which GOV.UK says can make you a worker.
- If unsure, contact the Acas helpline listed on GOV.UK, or use the minimum wage calculator.
Before you accept an unpaid placement
0 of 5 confirmed. Tick each point that applies to you.
Frequently asked questions
Is an unpaid internship legal in the UK?
It depends on your status. GOV.UK says an intern who is a worker is normally due the National Minimum Wage. Exemptions include student internships under a year as part of a UK course, school work experience, shadowing and genuine voluntary work for a charity or similar body.
Can a company call me a volunteer to avoid paying me?
No. GOV.UK says employers cannot avoid the National Minimum Wage by writing that someone is a volunteer or not a worker if they count as a worker.
What is the difference between work experience and an internship?
Neither term has legal status on its own. In practice work experience is shorter and more exploratory, while an internship usually involves real tasks over a longer period. What matters legally is your employment status.
How much is the minimum wage for interns?
If you are a worker, the rate depends on age: £12.71 for 21 and over, £10.85 for 18 to 20 and £8.00 for under 18 and apprentices from April 2026, per GOV.UK.
Do volunteers get paid?
Not beyond limited expenses such as reasonable travel or lunch. GOV.UK says voluntary workers for a charity, voluntary organisation, associated fundraising body or statutory body are not entitled to the minimum wage if they receive only limited benefits.
Sources
- GOV.UK: Employment rights and pay for interns
- GOV.UK: National Minimum Wage and National Living Wage rates
- GOV.UK: Volunteer opportunities, rights and expenses
- GOV.UK: Government response to the unpaid internships call for evidence (PDF)
- Lewis Silkin: Unpaid internships, has Labour quietly abandoned its ban
- GOV.UK: Minimum wage calculator
Back to the Graduate Scheme hub. Last checked against the sources above on 30 October 2026. This is general information, not legal advice.
