Unpaid internships could be banned to give young people from less wealthy families a "fair crack" at getting good jobs in competitive industries, a minister has suggested.

Damian Hinds, the employment minister, confirmed that the Government is reviewing unpaid internships as part of Theresa May's mission to help working class families.

It comes amid concerns that young people from poorer backgrounds cannot afford living costs and are therefore put off applying for internships.

Damian Hinds, the employment minister, told ITV's Peston on Sunday: “I think it is important that young people have an opportunity to get work experience.

"One of the big barriers to getting a job is not having had employment experience and so there is a role for work experience. But I think particularly in the media, in fashion, in these very sought-after occupations, there is a concern ... that with unpaid internships those aren’t actually accessible to everybody and I think it is right that we look at it.”

Mr Hinds added: “It is part of making sure that we are fair to everybody ... it is important for social mobility that everybody has a crack at getting into ... the particularly competitive industries.

“It’s also about making sure that children at school have access to and are guided towards subjects that are going to help them. It’s about the apprenticeship programme; it’s about a whole raft of things.”