The farce of adult migrants posing as children is to be tackled in a crackdown by Priti Patel. A specialist unit is to be set up by the Home Secretary to carry out expert assessments of would-be asylum seekers who claim to be under 18.
It comes after a series of high-profile cases of phonies – including a balding man who appeared to be in his 40s – ending up in school because they said they were minors.One adult spent six weeks in a Year 11 class before a Home Office investigation revealed he was years older.
A team of social workers will help local authorities nationwide assess new asylum claims, including those by people who arrive on small boats across the Channel. It comes amid soaring numbers of arrivals from northern France, with 1,000 so far this month alone.
Weeding out false cases will make it more likely that ineligible migrants can be deported, potentially saving the taxpayer millions a year.
A Home Office source said: ‘Age assessment experts will go around the country to help councils which are experiencing problems.
