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Home Office spends £322k on AI age tool; rights warn

6/1/2026

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Summary

Story summary

Home Office awarded a £322,000 contract to Akhter Computers Ltd for an AI age-estimation system.
Testing showed accuracy, prompting the system to be trialled at Western Jet Foil centre in Dover in 2027.
In the year to March 2026, 6,400 migrants claiming to be children were age-assessed, with 43% deemed adults.
Human Rights Watch and the British Association of Social Workers warned tool could cause safeguarding errors for child migrants.

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Story summary

Home Office awarded a £322,000 contract to Akhter Computers Ltd for an AI age-estimation system.
Testing showed accuracy, prompting the system to be trialled at Western Jet Foil centre in Dover in 2027.
In the year to March 2026, 6,400 migrants claiming to be children were age-assessed, with 43% deemed adults.
Human Rights Watch and the British Association of Social Workers warned tool could cause safeguarding errors for child migrants.