Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many asylum applicants who made applications while under the age of 18 have had their substantive interviews cancelled due to turning 18 years of age and being classified as an adult in each of the last three years.

The Home Office takes our duty of care towards children and young people extremely seriously and we prioritise applications from children and young people.

If the child’s 18th birthday passes before a substantive asylum interview has been conducted, they are legally an adult. However, staff must follow best practice on children’s cases. The child is interviewed by a decision maker who has completed the appropriate training for handling children’s asylum claims and be given an opportunity to discuss the statement of evidence form (SEF) as it may refer to issues that are child specific.

The decision maker is trained in handling children’s cases. The Home Office would not therefore cancel interviews based on a child turning 18.

Where the applicant has since admitted to being an adult, or evidence confirms the applicant as an adult, at the point of claiming asylum, the application is assessed as an adult claim.

Section 67 of the Immigration Act 2016 asylum casework guidance (publishing.service.gov.uk)