The number of asylum seekers in the UK found to have falsely claimed to be children has quadrupled over the past decade, according to Home Office figures published this week, intensifying scrutiny of Britain’s age-assessment system amid a series of high-profile violent crimes.
Official data show that 224 asylum seekers were identified as adults posing as minors in 2014. That figure has now risen to more than 1,000 a year, with authorities warning that the true number may be higher as many arrivals lack identity documents or destroy them en route to the UK.
The issue has returned to the spotlight following the conviction this week of two Afghan asylum seekers, Jan Jahanzeb and Israr Niazal, who were sentenced to lengthy prison terms for raping a 15-year-old girl in Leamington Spa. Both entered Britain illegally by small boat and were treated as unaccompanied minors.
Campaigners argue that adults falsely claiming to be children are routinely placed alongside genuine minors in schools, foster care and supported housing. Alp Mehmet of Migration Watch UK said disputed age cases are too often resolved “by default” in favour of the claimant, despite powers existing to carry out scientific age assessments.
Home Office figures show that in the first half of 2024 alone, 1,317 migrants who claimed to be under 18 were later judged to be adults. Age-dispute cases have risen sharply as Channel crossings have increased.
Several past cases have fuelled concern, including the Parsons Green Tube bomber Ahmed Hassan and murderer Lawangeen Abdulrahimzai, both of whom entered the UK claiming to be children.
The government has announced plans to trial AI-based facial analysis technology to support age assessments, with ministers acknowledging that the current system is “complex” and vulnerable to abuse. The Home Office said robust checks are essential for border security and the protection of children, but reforms are still under development.
