The Home Office is poised to implement artificial intelligence facial recognition technology to determine the age of asylum seekers who claim to be children.
Harlow-based IT firm Akhter Computers has secured a £322,000 contract to supply “an algorithm that can accurately predict the age of a subject,” according to an official notice released on Friday.
This technology is intended for use in cases where individuals lack “verifiable identity documents,” such as those arriving in the UK via small boats. It will supplement current age estimation techniques, with the Home Office stating that early trials demonstrated “promising performance and accuracy.”
The age of an asylum seeker is a critical factor, as unaccompanied children receive different treatment from adults, and being under 18 can influence the outcome of an asylum claim.
Currently, immigration officers conduct age assessments when a claimant’s age is disputed, though a report last year highlighted inadequate training among some staff at the Western Jet Foil reception centre in Dover.
The report by the Independent Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration also noted it was “inevitable” some assessments would be wrong “in the absence of a foolproof ‘test’ of chronological age”.
In the year to March 2026, some 6,420 people were subject to an initial age assessment – 7 per cent of all those claiming asylum in the UK – and 43 per cent were found to be adults.
But those decisions can be challenged. Official figures show 17% of those initially found to be adults in the second half of 2025 were later found to be children, with more awaiting a reassessment.
The Home Office notice lists German company Cognitec as a sub-contractor, with the firm already working with border agencies in Germany and Australia to verify passengers’ identities at airports.
The technology is expected to be brought into use in 2027, with the Home Office saying it will undergo “rigorous” testing beforehand.
Border security minister Alex Norris said: “For too long, adult migrants making false age claims have exploited the system and diverted vital support away 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.”
But the British Association of Social Workers (BASW) urged the Government not to resort to “shortcuts”, warning that mistakes in age estimates “can lead to major safeguarding risks”.
BASW chief executive Sam Baron said: “Social workers are best placed to determine age as they take a ‘whole picture’ approach, whereas these other methods put forward by the Government do not.
“A 16-year-old from Syria and an 18-year-old from Syria can look the same to AI, yet a social worker can consider their background and their life so far to identify maturity and the best likelihood of their correct age.”
Labour has pledged to slash the number of people crossing the Channel in small boats.
More than 73,000 people have made the journey since the party came to power in 2024, while the Home Office said 42,000 crossings have been prevented in the same period.
So far this year, 8,778 people have made the crossing, down 36% compared to the same point last year.
