January 2025
From November 2024, the Home Office has reintroduced the Streamlined Asylum Process (SAP) for children, with some changes. That means that some unaccompanied asylum-seeking children will be eligible for their asylum claim to be processed with a Preliminary Information Meeting (PIM) rather than a full substantive interview. This information is for adults supporting young people with PIMs, particularly those (usually social workers or personal advisors) acting as responsible adults.
Change to the process: Nationalities
The eligible nationalities, based on the nationalities with high grant rates for unaccompanied children, have changed since the policy was first introduced in 2023. Children from the following nationalities are now eligible:
Afghanistan
Eritrea
South Sudan
Sudan
Syria
Children from Vietnam are no longer eligible.
Change to the process: Introductory Questions
A further change to the process is that responsible adults (for unaccompanied children, usually their social worker) will be invited to digitally send the Home Office information relating to family details and mandatory security questions before the PIM. This is to save time asking about these details during the PIM. This is voluntary: the PIM will still go ahead if the information is not returned. However, in most cases it will be preferable for the child or young person to discuss these details with their responsible adult rather than with the Home Office.
It is important that the responsible adult meets with the young person to go through the questions with an interpreter when completing the form. The questions and answers should be read back to the young person in their own language to ensure that all information provided is accurate. Detailed answers are not required at this stage and if there is any doubt regarding a particular question or issue, it should be left blank. We advise that questions SCQi and SCQj are left blank because they could impact the asylum claim.
Information about PIMS
Who is eligible?
- streamlining only applies to initial asylum claims
- streamlining applies to children who have already submitted a statement of evidence (SEF) form and those who have not
- streamlining applies to both unaccompanied and accompanied children
- children who have turned 18 while waiting for an asylum decision are part of the children’s streamlining process
- children can be called for a PIM after their welfare interview and without a SEF having been submitted, but only after they have been in local authority care for two weeks (or for accompanied children two weeks after their asylum claim was registered)
What is a preliminary information meeting (PIM)?
- The purpose of the PIM is for the decision maker to decide whether they have enough information to grant asylum without further interview.
- Children will be invited to a PIM. Their responsible adult (for unaccompanied children, most likely their social worker) will be informed about this and where a legal representative is on record with the Home Office, they should also be told.
- Where a child has already submitted a SEF, and if it contains the required information, the Home Office should try to make a decision without the need for an interview or PIM.
- PIMs can take place in person or remotely. They will not be recorded.
Who should attend?
- PIMs cannot take place without a responsible adult. The Home Office should provide an interpreter where one is needed.
- Legal representatives are able to attend a PIM and it will be covered by Legal Aid, including if the child has turned 18. However, legal representatives are not required to attend and the PIM will still proceed in their absence.
What is in the PIM?
The PIM is likely to cover:
- information about the child’s identity and nationality
- brief questions about the basis of the child’s asylum claim
- the child’s family background (to establish any need for family tracing, which will be conducted by a separate team (not the decision maker)*
- any evidence submitted as part of the child’s asylum claim
- issues around welfare and safeguarding
- the child’s journey to the UK
- any national security concerns*
*Starred topics may not feature in the PIM if requested information has already been returned to the Home Office.
What happens after a PIM?
- Given that they are from countries with very high asylum grant rates, most PIMs are likely to result in a grant of asylum.
- If the decision maker thinks further information is required, or if they are minded to grant humanitarian protection or to refuse the asylum claim, then they may ask for a SEF and may arrange a substantive interview which could be shorter or more targeted than usual.
- There will be a written record of the PIM made by the Home Office decision maker that will be shared with the child, their responsible adult and should be shared with their legal representative where one is on record.
- The Home Office guidance makes clear that the Home Office is not treating the PIM as an interview but also says that information obtained at the PIM may be tested at longer substantive interviews. This means the written record may be important for those children who are not granted asylum following the PIM.
What happens to children who are not in the streamlining process?
Children outside the SAP will continue to have their asylum claims decided in the usual way and that they will still be triaged for decisions without a substantive interview (without a PIM).
What should you do if you are supporting a child who is invited for a preliminary information meeting (PIM)?
Where a child has a legal representative:
- Contact the child’s legal representative as a matter of urgency letting them know about any correspondence from the Home Office regarding a PIM. While they should be, in our experience, they have not always been informed by the Home Office.
Where the child does not have a legal representative:
- Where the PIM goes ahead without a legal representative, the responsible adult should take their own notes of the PIM and any issues encountered with the interviewer, the interpreter, impact on the child, as well as the questions and answers themselves. This will be important if the child is not granted asylum after the PIM.
Advice for responsible adults
- Ensure the young person knows that you are there to support them and have no involvement in the decision-making process. Your role is to make sure the young person is happy to go ahead with the interview and that they are well supported during the process.
- If the young person has any additional needs, disabilities or mental health issues, make sure the interviewer is aware of these and any adaptations that might be needed (in advance of the interview).
- In certain situations, the responsible adult may have to intervene. For example, if it seems that the child and interpreter are having difficulties understanding each other, or the child is getting distressed then this needs to be raised with the interviewing officer. This should also be put in writing after the PIM.
- If the responsible adult thinks the interview needs to be stopped either temporarily for a short break, or to be rearranged eg. because the child is unable to continue or there are communication difficulties with the interpreter then they should not be afraid to interrupt and say so. They are there to support the child’s welfare. Any issues with credibilty arising after the PIM could have serious ramifications for the child’s asylum claim, so responsible adults should feel confident to challenge the Home Office if needed.
The responsible adult should take notes on the following as a record of the PIM:
- Record of questions and answers given. The more detail the better, as this can assist if there are any disputes / appeals.
- Notes on the tone, behaviour, and demeanour of the interviewing officer. Was it child centred and the child put at ease? Was the interview rushed or at the child’s pace? Was the purpose of the PIM explained? Were there opportunities for the child to repeat themselves, make clarifications or ask questions? Were they offered breaks?
- Notes on the interpreter – did they directly interpret or seem to have conversations with the child? Did they seem to add anything to what was said? Did they add their own judgements or personal opinions (and were they asked to do this)? Did the child understand the interpreter?
Referrals to GMIAU
Any referral for children in the North West made to GMIAU should explicitly state if the Home Office has arranged a PIM. We cannot promise that we will be able to take on any individual case. However we will try to take on cases where children have a PIM. Referrals can be made through our website.