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AI age checks set for UK border rollout in 2027
The Home Office will introduce facial-analysis software next year to estimate the ages of asylum seekers, aiming to prevent adults from claiming to be minors. Critics warn the technology is unproven and risks harming vulnerable children.
Why the government is turning to AI
Official figures show that 43 % of migrants assessed at the border in the year to March 2026 who claimed to be children were later found to be adults. A total of 6,400 such assessments were carried out during that period.
Last year, the independent immigration inspector reported cases in which adults had been misclassified as children-and children as adults-highlighting the absence of a "foolproof" test.
How the technology will work
Akhter Computers Ltd, based in Harlow, has been awarded a £322,000 contract to develop and test the system over three years. The software will analyse photographs taken at border points and provide an age estimate to support officers when a migrant's age is in doubt.
Initial trials will take place at Western Jet Foil, a processing centre in Dover, starting in mid-2027. The Home Office states that the tool has been tested on diverse images, including those of asylum seekers, but results have not yet influenced live decisions.
Current age-assessment process
Border officials currently rely on documents, appearance, and demeanour for initial age determinations. When disputes arise, social workers conduct further assessments. The new AI tool is intended to supplement-not replace-this process.
Criticism from rights groups and social workers
Human Rights Watch called the plan "cruel and unconscionable," arguing that facial age estimation remains unproven in refugee settings. Anna Bacciarelli, a senior AI researcher at the group, stated there is "no ethical way to move forward" and warned the technology could undermine children's legal protections.
"Experimenting with unproven technology to determine whether or not a child should be granted protections they desperately need and are legally entitled to is cruel and unconscionable."
Anna Bacciarelli, Human Rights Watch
The British Association of Social Workers (BASW) also opposed the move, with interim CEO Professor Sam Baron cautioning that AI could lead to "major safeguarding mistakes." Baron emphasised that age assessment is a complex task best handled by trained social workers.
Government defends the move
Minister for Border Security and Asylum Alex Norris said the technology would help identify adults "exploiting the system" and ensure that genuine child migrants receive the support they need. He added that the AI tool would enable faster identification, detention, and removal of those found to be misrepresenting their age.
The Home Office has described the technology as the most "cost-effective option" for age verification, following a rise in asylum claims-111,084 in the year to June 2025, a 14 % increase on the previous year.
Update on previous reporting
Correction: An earlier version of this article incorrectly stated that age verification involved X-rays and MRI scans. The Home Office has confirmed it possesses the authority to use such methods but does not currently do so.
