The UK government plans to deploy Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology by mid-2027 to estimate the age of asylum seekers, aiming to identify adults posing as children at the border. The Home Office has awarded a £322,000 contract to IT supplier Akhter Computers Ltd to develop and test the facial analysis software, which will analyze photographs taken at the border. This initiative follows a rise in asylum claims and concerns over adults misrepresenting themselves as minors to access child welfare services.
Context of Age Assessment Challenges
Unaccompanied child migrants are entitled to specific protections, including placement in local council care and simplified asylum processes, which can lead to longer stays in the country. These provisions are designed to safeguard vulnerable young people. However, the system has faced challenges, with a significant percentage of individuals claiming to be children later found to be adults.
Home Office data for the year ending March 2026 revealed that over 6,400 migrants claiming to be children underwent age assessments, with 43% determined to be adults. This issue was highlighted in a report by the UK’s independent immigration inspector last year, which acknowledged cases of both adults being misclassified as children and vice versa. The report stressed the inherent difficulty in achieving a “foolproof” age assessment, noting the serious implications for children denied their rights and protections.
AI Technology as a New Tool
The Home Office announced its intention to explore AI facial estimation technology for age assessment last year. The newly awarded contract will facilitate further testing and refinement of this technology before its planned rollout in mid-2027. Minister for Border Security and Asylum, Alex Norris, stated that the AI tool aims to prevent adults from exploiting the system and diverting resources from children at risk.
“That is why we are rolling out AI technology to put a stop to this, ensuring those who game the system are identified, detained and removed without delay, and those who deserve support and protection are given it,” Norris commented. Initial testing has been conducted on images of individuals across various ethnicities and genders within the Home Office’s existing operational system, with promising initial performance and accuracy indicated.
Deployment and Existing Processes
The AI technology is slated for its first trial on live cases at the Western Jet Foil processing centre in Dover next year. Currently, border force officials conduct age assessments using methods such as document review and observations of appearance and demeanor. The AI system is intended to serve as an additional tool to support officers when a person’s age is uncertain.
When border officials dispute an asylum seeker’s claimed age, social workers typically conduct more in-depth assessments. However, the introduction of AI raises concerns among professional bodies. The British Association of Social Workers (BASW) has warned that incorporating AI could lead to significant safeguarding errors. Professor Sam Baron, interim CEO of BASW, emphasized that age assessment is a complex process best handled by trained social workers, cautioning against shortcuts that could result in major safeguarding risks.
Human Rights Concerns and Criticisms
Human rights organizations have voiced strong opposition to the government’s plan. Human Rights Watch described the technology as “unproven” and urged the government to abandon the scheme, arguing it undermines the protections afforded to vulnerable children. Anna Bacciarelli, a senior AI researcher at Human Rights Watch, called the approach “deeply flawed,” “cruel and unconscionable,” and questioned the technology’s actual effectiveness.
Bacciarelli noted that facial age estimation has been used in commercial settings like shops and bars, but not yet in refugee processing centers. She argued that there is “no ethical way to move forward with these plans,” highlighting the potential for a dehumanizing process that infringes upon the human rights of vulnerable children and young people.
Implications and Future Watch
The deployment of AI for age estimation represents a significant shift in how the UK handles asylum claims involving minors. While the government views it as a cost-effective measure to ensure system integrity and protect genuine child refugees, critics fear it could lead to misclassifications and the denial of essential protections to children. The effectiveness and accuracy of the AI tool in real-world asylum processing scenarios remain a critical point of scrutiny. The upcoming trials at Dover will be closely watched, as will the response from human rights groups and social work professionals. Future developments will likely focus on the technology’s performance, its impact on safeguarding procedures, and the ongoing debate around its ethical application in immigration procedures.
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