United Kingdom: Home Office GPS Tagging Trial Fails to Improve Compliance Among Asylum Seekers

A Home Office trial using GPS ankle tags to monitor asylum seekers has concluded without achieving significant improvements in compliance, according to a report on the two-year scheme.

The trial, which ran from June 2022 to December 2023, involved 1,200 asylum seekers split into two groups. One group was equipped with GPS tags and required to attend regular immigration check-ins, while the other group continued with traditional face-to-face meetings.

Key Findings

The report revealed minimal differences in compliance between the two groups:

• Absconding Rates: 16% of tagged individuals absconded, compared to 14% of those untagged—a statistically insignificant difference.
• Device Issues: Many tagged asylum seekers reported issues with the devices, including short battery life and discomfort caused by charging cables. One individual had 81 recorded battery breaches, and 316 tags were removed due to legal, medical, or absconding reasons.
• Tampering: While strap tampering was uncommon, averaging one incident per person, technical problems with the devices were frequent.

The trial also highlighted the importance of support and trust in compliance. Asylum seekers who anticipated a favorable outcome to their claims and those who received adequate support were significantly less likely to break contact with immigration officials.

Data Privacy Concerns

In March 2024, the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) ruled that the tagging scheme violated data protection laws. The ICO described the tags as "highly intrusive" and warned the Home Office against implementing similar measures in the future, threatening enforcement action if the practice continued.

Criticism and Next Steps

The trial has drawn criticism from human rights advocates, who argue that tagging is both ineffective and dehumanizing. Critics have also pointed out that the funds spent on the scheme could have been better used to provide support services that encourage voluntary compliance.

The Home Office has yet to comment on the findings or whether it plans to pursue alternative monitoring methods. However, the report underscores the need for humane and effective approaches to managing asylum cases, emphasizing trust-building and support over punitive measures.