Rise in Iranian minors seeking UK asylum

The number of unaccompanied children from Iran applying for asylum in the UK has increased six-fold in two years, annual asylum figures have revealed.

The number rose from 75 in 2003 to 450 in 2005, while applications from unaccompanied Afghan children almost doubled in the same period, from 275 to 530.

Steve Liddicott (pictured), the Association of Directors of Social Services’ lead on asylum, said councils in London and the South East, which care for most unaccompanied asylum-seeking children, would struggle to place Iranian and Afghan children within their own communities.

The statistics also revealed that at least 80 asylum-seeking children were held in detention for up two months last year, while 10 children were held up to three months.

However, only 30 children were detained by December last year, all in Yarl’s Wood detention centre.

The number of unaccompanied children applying for asylum fell for the second consecutive year, to 2,965.

There were also 2,425 age-disputed claims.