AI Age Estimation Tool to Be Deployed at UK Borders
An Artificial Intelligence (AI) age estimation tool designed to identify adult migrants posing as children will be introduced at the UK's borders next year.
A software company has secured a contract to develop and test this technology, which estimates a person's age by analysing photographs taken at the border.
The Home Office states that the technology will facilitate identifying adult migrants "attempting to game the system," following initial tests that showed "promising performance and accuracy."
However, Human Rights Watch has called on the government to abandon the scheme, describing it as "unproven technology" that risks undermining protections afforded to vulnerable children.
Protections for Unaccompanied Child Migrants
Unaccompanied child migrants receive support from local councils and are accommodated within the care system rather than in typical asylum housing such as hotels.
They benefit from legal protections that can simplify the asylum application process and increase the likelihood of remaining in the country for longer periods.
Context of Increased Channel Crossings and Asylum Claims
The decision to implement the software follows years of increased numbers of people crossing the English Channel in small boats and claiming asylum at the border.
In the year ending June 2025, 111,084 individuals claimed asylum in the UK, representing a 14% increase from the previous year.
According to Home Office data, in the year ending March 2026, over 6,400 migrants claiming to be children underwent age assessments at the border, with 43% determined to be adults.
Challenges in Age Assessment
A report by the UK government's independent immigration inspector published last year identified cases where adult migrants were mistakenly classified as children and vice versa.
The report noted that, in the absence of a "foolproof" test, some age assessments will inevitably be incorrect, which is particularly concerning when a child is denied the rights and protections they are entitled to.
Government Plans and Contract Award
The government announced plans to use AI facial estimation technology to address this issue last year.
Since then, the Home Office has been exploring the technology, and this week awarded a new contract to Harlow-based IT supplier Akhter Computers Ltd to implement the scheme.
The contract involves further testing and development of the technology before its planned rollout in mid-2027, with a total cost of £322,000 over three years.
Official Statements on the Use of AI
Minister for Border Security and Asylum, Alex Norris, stated:
"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."
Testing and Implementation Plans
The Home Office has conducted testing on images representing various ethnicities and genders, including those typical of the asylum-seeking population, within its operational system.
However, test results have not yet been used to make live decisions.
The technology is expected to be trialled on live asylum seeker cases at Western Jet Foil, a processing centre in Dover, starting next year.
Current Age Assessment Procedures
Age assessments of asylum seekers are currently performed by border force officials who use methods such as reviewing documents, appearance, and demeanour to make initial age determinations.
The new facial estimation technology will serve as an additional tool to assist officers when a person's age is uncertain.
Social workers conduct further assessments on asylum seekers claiming to be children when border officials dispute their age.
Concerns from Social Workers and Human Rights Groups
The British Association of Social Workers (BASW) has warned that the government's plan to incorporate AI into the assessment process may lead to significant safeguarding errors.
Professor Sam Baron, interim CEO of BASW, said:
"Assessing the ages of migrants is a complex process which social workers are best placed to do. This important task should not be open to shortcuts through artificial intelligence, especially as the pitfalls of getting it wrong can lead to major safeguarding risks."
Last year, the UK government concluded that the technology was the most "cost-effective option" for assessing the age of asylum seekers.
Nonetheless, human rights organisations have criticised the Home Office's plans to apply the technology to children.
Anna Bacciarelli, senior AI researcher at Human Rights Watch, stated:
"The government needs to scrap this deeply flawed approach to assessing child refugees. 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. In addition to subjecting vulnerable children and young people to a dehumanising process that undermines their human rights, we don't actually know if facial age estimation works."
She added that the technology has been used in retail and hospitality settings but not in refugee processing centres, and said there is "no ethical way to move forward with these plans."
Correction
An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated that age verification is conducted by trained immigration enforcement officers using X-rays and MRI scans to estimate age. The Home Office clarifies that while it has the authority to use these methods, it does not currently do so.
