Britain will begin using artificial intelligence to help identify adult asylum seekers posing as children, in a move aimed at tackling what ministers say is widespread abuse of the immigration system.
The Home Office has awarded a contract to develop facial age-estimation technology that will analyse photographs of migrants arriving in the country and estimate their age. BBC News says the system is expected to be trialled on live asylum cases in Dover next year before a wider rollout in 2027.
The decision follows growing concerns that adult migrants have successfully claimed to be minors to gain access to additional legal protections and accommodation reserved for children.
Official figures show that more than 6,400 migrants claiming to be children underwent age assessments in the year ending March 2026. Of those, 43% were ultimately found to be adults.
Border Security and Asylum Minister Alex Norris said false age claims had allowed some migrants to exploit the system while diverting resources away from vulnerable children.
“Adult migrants making false age claims have exploited the system and diverted vital support away from children at risk,” he said. Norris added that the new technology would help identify those attempting to “game the system” so they could be detained and removed more quickly.
Essex-based firm Akhter Computers Ltd will develop the software under a three-year contract worth £322,000.
The UK government says initial testing has shown “promising performance and accuracy,” although the technology has not yet been used to make live immigration decisions.
The move comes amid continued pressure on Britain’s asylum system following record levels of Channel crossings. More than 111,000 people claimed asylum in the UK in the year ending June 2025, a 14% increase on the previous year.
