UK to deploy AI facial scans to root out adult migrants posing as children by 2026

The UK government has unveiled plans to deploy artificial intelligence in a high-stakes bid to catch adult migrants pretending to be children at the border.

Border Security and Asylum Minister Angela Eagle confirmed the Home Office will begin testing facial age estimation software—trained on millions of facial images—to produce age assessments for migrants whose ages are disputed. A full rollout is expected by 2026, with a tender to find providers launching in August.

At the heart of this move is a growing concern over adults exploiting the asylum system by claiming to be under 18—an age group that benefits from easier access to accommodation, care, and legal protections. Last year alone, more than half of those who claimed to be children were later found to be adults, or admitted as much during the application process. The government now wants AI to step in where human judgement has proven fallible.

Currently, age assessments fall to immigration officials and social workers, both of whom face intense pressure and scrutiny when determining someone’s age without documentation. Even official bodies agree it’s far from an exact science.

David Bolt, the former Independent Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration, highlighted the risks in his report, which predates the AI announcement. He warned that in the absence of a “foolproof test,” misclassifications are inevitable. In a sample of 100 case files, inspectors discovered that 22 out of 38 people initially deemed adults by the Home Office were later reassessed as children by local authorities.

These inconsistencies are fuelling the push for technology. AI, particularly facial age estimation software, is already used commercially—especially by banks and online retailers—to verify the age of customers purchasing restricted items like alcohol, knives, or vapes. The government now wants to “leverage the power of the private sector,” tapping into systems developed with billions of pounds in investment.

“We know this technology works,” said a senior Home Office source. “It’s already deployed successfully across multiple industries. Now it’s time to bring that same level of innovation to immigration enforcement.”

Minister Eagle echoed that confidence, noting that the system could provide a “rapid and simple” method for testing age in disputed cases. However, she acknowledged that the AI would be just one tool among many. Traditional assessments by human professionals will remain part of the process—at least for now.

Civil rights groups and migrant advocacy organisations have already begun raising concerns about the implications of using biometric technology on vulnerable individuals, especially children. Critics fear the system may still produce errors, potentially misclassifying minors and stripping them of protections they’re entitled to under British law.

The Home Office insists that any trial phase will be carefully monitored, and any final rollout will only proceed after “rigorous evaluation.” Companies developing the technology are now being encouraged to take part in the procurement process, with trials beginning as early as 2025.

This move comes amid increasing political pressure to tighten border controls and restore public confidence in the UK’s asylum system. With no universally accepted method of verifying age, and the stakes higher than ever, ministers are betting that AI might succeed where humans have struggled—and perhaps bring some clarity to one of the most contentious aspects of Britain’s immigration debate.