UK Home Office Plans AI Age Checks for Child Asylum Seekers

Recent reports and official responses highlight significant challenges and controversies surrounding the age assessment of asylum seekers claiming to be children in the UK. The Independent Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration criticized the Home Office's current processes for assessing age, noting many children felt disbelieved and pressured, with decisions sometimes based on generic physical traits and adversarial questioning. Between 2023 and 2025, a notable number of cases initially assessed as adults were later accepted as children, raising concerns about the accuracy and fairness of these assessments. In response, the government announced plans to trial artificial intelligence facial age estimation technology aimed at improving the accuracy and efficiency of age verification, despite ongoing debates about potential biases and ethical considerations. The Home Office and the National Age Assessment Board are working on integrating this technology alongside human-led assessments, while the Scottish Government has updated its guidance to emphasize holistic, multi-agency, and legally compliant approaches to age assessments. Overall, the situation underscores the complexity of balancing accurate age determination with the welfare and rights of vulnerable young migrants.