More than 50 young asylum seekers in the UK have lost their lives over the past decade, with the majority of these deaths being suicides, according to newly compiled data. This alarming information, gathered for the first time, highlights a critical safeguarding crisis affecting unaccompanied children and young people within the care system.
Shocking Statistics on Asylum Seeker Deaths
Between 2015 and 2024, there were 54 recorded deaths of unaccompanied children and young people who had claimed asylum. Among these, 31 were suicides, seven were homicides, and eight resulted from fatal accidents. Health issues accounted for six deaths, while the cause remains unknown in two cases. Notably, 44 of these deaths have occurred since 2020, with 2024 marking the worst year, witnessing seven suicides and seven other fatalities.
Data Collection and Government Transparency Issues
The Da’aro Youth Project, an organisation supporting young asylum seekers, collected this data through freedom of information requests sent to all local authority children’s services departments in England, Scotland, and Wales, as well as all health and social care trusts in Northern Ireland. However, the Home Office and Department for Education refused to provide information, raising concerns about governmental transparency.
Since 2024, the Office of the Information Commissioner has issued five separate decision notices, finding that the Home Office wrongly withheld details about asylum seeker deaths. The Home Office is currently appealing against four of these decisions. Additionally, the data from local authorities is likely incomplete, as the Home Office often disputes the ages given by young asylum seekers, preventing some from entering the care system where deaths are tracked.
Personal Tragedies and Systemic Failures
The suicides include six children aged 17 or under, 16 young people aged 18 to 20, and nine individuals between 20 and 24 years old. One heartbreaking case involves Amir Safi from Afghanistan, who claimed to be 16 but was ruled an adult by authorities. He died in 2024 after becoming very quiet and withdrawn, as heard in an inquest.
Between November 2017 and February 2019, four Eritrean teenagers who knew each other—Alexander Tekle, Osman Ahmed Nur, Mulubrhane Medhane Kfleyosus, and Filmon Yemane—took their own lives, underscoring the profound mental health challenges faced by this vulnerable group.
Calls for Action and Government Response
The report has been sent to ministers, including Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson and Immigration Minister Alex Norris, accompanied by a letter expressing deep concern over the lack of transparency. It states, We believe that all children and young people matter, regardless of their immigration status, national origin or ethnicity.
Key recommendations from the report include:
- Publishing death data for young asylum seekers.
- Conducting a national review of these deaths.
- Implementing a new safeguarding strategy specifically for this group.
Sarah Robson, director of the Da’aro Youth Project, commented, This is the first time this data has ever been compiled – and we find it to be very shocking. Unaccompanied young people, who have been forced to flee their homes and have come to the UK to find safety and sanctuary, are dying by suicide in great numbers. She criticised the asylum system for prioritising deterrence over sanctuary and mistreating children by often classifying them as adults.
Government Stance on the Issue
A Department for Education spokesperson responded, Every death of a young person who has been in care is a tragedy and must be treated as a serious safeguarding failure. They highlighted efforts through the children’s wellbeing and schools bill to strengthen support for children in care and care leavers, including assistance with housing, accessing services, and preventing isolation. The department has also tightened reporting requirements so councils must notify them when a care leaver dies, aiming to identify risks earlier and learn lessons nationally.
This data compilation sheds light on a distressing trend, urging immediate action to protect young asylum seekers and improve transparency within the UK’s immigration and care systems.
