Where clear and credible documentary evidence of age is not available, criteria including physical appearance and demeanour are used as part of the process to assess whether a person is under 18. The Home Office will treat a person claiming to be a child as an adult only where their physical appearance and demeanour very strongly suggest they are 25 years of age or over.<\/p>
When there is doubt about an individual\u2019s claim to be a child, Home Office policy is to refer them to the relevant local authority to carry out a careful \u201cMerton compliant\u201d age assessment, which must be carried out by two social workers and must adhere to guidelines set out by the Courts. Whilst this assessment is ongoing, the local authority or Health and Social Care Trust looking after the individual remains responsible for their care arrangements and the safeguarding of other children in their care.<\/p>
The Home Office keeps its policies and processes under review and we remain committed to striking the right balance between ensuring that children who claim asylum are appropriately supported and maintaining the integrity of the asylum system by preventing adults being treated as children.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4048", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Caroline Nokes"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Romsey and Southampton North"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Caroline Nokes"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-06-17", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-06-17T12:09:06.153Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Home Office"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Home Office"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2019-06-10", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Asylum: Children"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps his Department is taking to identify the age of people placed in care facilities with minors when requesting asylum.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4633", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Paul Girvan"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "South Antrim"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Paul Girvan"} ], "uin" : "262442"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1126615", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Home Office"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1126615/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The Home Office is promptly refunding excess immigration health surcharge payments where individuals have paid the incorrect amount as a consequence of their application being in train when the surcharge was increased on 8 January this year.<\/p>
An operational process was established to identify customers who paid the higher rate so that adjustments and refunds can be made. Any customer who self identifies as not having received a refund for this reason will be prioritised.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4048", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Caroline Nokes"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Romsey and Southampton North"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Caroline Nokes"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-05-20", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-05-20T10:37:52.473Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Home Office"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Home Office"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2019-05-14", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Migrants: Health Services"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will take steps to fast-track refunds to people who have paid the new higher-rate Immigration Health Surcharge when their cases require them to pay only the lower pre-2019 rate.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4633", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Paul Girvan"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "South Antrim"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Paul Girvan"} ], "uin" : "254262"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1126028", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Home Office"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1126028/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
Under Common Travel Area arrangements Irish citizens have the right to enter and live in the UK without requiring permission. The same right is enjoyed by British citizens in Ireland.<\/p>
Those who were born in the Republic of Ireland before 1949 are able to opt for British subject status, which then enables them to register as a British citizen if they wish to do so, based on a period of residence in the United Kingdom. If a person wishes to become a British citizen rather than a British subject, they must make such an application and pay the required fee.<\/p>
Irish nationals born after 1949 can become British citizens by naturalisation. Irish nationals are regarded as settled in the UK and so are able to apply for citizenship after 5 years residence in the UK (3 years if the spouse or civil partner of a British citizen). This is a quicker route to citizenship than for other nationals. There are currently no plans to make an assessment of applications for citizenship without a fee.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4048", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Caroline Nokes"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Romsey and Southampton North"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Caroline Nokes"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-05-20", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-05-20T10:34:36.74Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Home Office"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Home Office"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2019-05-13", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "British Nationality: Republic of Ireland"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of extending the right to apply for UK citizenship without a fee to people born in the Republic of Ireland and who have lived in the UK for most of their life.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4633", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Paul Girvan"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "South Antrim"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Paul Girvan"} ], "uin" : "253726"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1055024", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Home Office"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1055024/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
EEA nationals are exercising EU Treaty rights in the UK if they are in their first three months of residence or if they are working, self-employed, looking for work, self-sufficient or studying, or if they have a right of permanent residence in the UK under EU law.<\/p>