The British government plans to introduce facial age estimation technology next year to assess the ages of asylum seekers at the border. Internal tests have revealed significant accuracy issues and demographic biases in the systems. Officials maintain that the tool will serve only as an aid to human judgment.
Starting in 2027, the Home Office intends to use AI-based facial scans to estimate ages of migrants who lack documents. The technology will supplement existing assessments by border officers, who currently rely on physical appearance, interviews, and demeanor.
An internal report obtained by investigators showed that the best-performing algorithm tested last year produced average errors of 4.6 years for female Sub-Saharan Africans. The same system tended to classify 17-year-olds as over 18 and performed worse on females overall. Sub-Saharan Africans represent the largest group of recent small-boat arrivals and age assessments.
The Home Office disbanded an independent scientific committee advising on age estimation methods during the technology's evaluation. A spokesperson stated the committee was ended because different expertise was required and emphasized that individuals will be treated as children in cases of uncertainty.
In May 2026 the department spent more than $400,000 on face-scanning technology from German firm Cognitec. The government has commissioned the National Physical Laboratory to conduct an independent review of the systems before deployment.
