The answer is that it's sometimes legal in the UK: https://www.youthemployment.org.uk/unpaid-internships-advice-for-employers/ https://www.youthemployment.org.u

The answer is that it's sometimes legal in the UK: https://www.youthemployment.org.uk/unpaid-internships-advice-for-employers/ https://www.youthemployment.org.uk/unpaid-internships-advice... However, previous governments set up ""welfare-to-work"" schemes, effectively a government subsidy to employers, where people were required to work for free: https://www.recruiter.co.uk/news/2012/03/no-end-controversy-over-%E2%80%98unpaid-work-experience%E2%80%99-unemployed https://www.recruiter.co.uk/news/2012/03/no-end-controversy-... (absurdly huge controversy, the government tried to legislate the outcome of this specific lawsuit through retroactive legislation, in violation of ECHR https://ukhumanrightsblog.com/2014/07/08/retrospective-legislation-that-interfered-with-judicial-ruling-violated-the-convention-and-the-rule-of-law/ https://ukhumanrightsblog.com/2014/07/08/retrospective-legis... )