REVEALED: Number of lone children seeking asylum in UK soars past 1,000 for THIS YEAR

THE number of lone children seeking asylum in the UK has passed 1,000 in a quarter for the first time in seven years, official data shows.

PUBLISHED: 15:44, Mon, Feb 29, 2016   express.co.uk

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An equivalent of 11 minors a day lodged claims in the final three months of last year

A total of 1,080 unaccompanied minors lodged claims in the final three months of last year - equivalent to 11 every day.

This was the largest tally in any quarter since the same number of applications were recorded in the last quarter of 2008, Press Association analysis found.

It is the first time since then that the quarterly total has exceeded 1,000, and the joint third highest number since the current records started in 2006.

An unaccompanied asylum-seeking child (UASC) is officially defined as someone who is under 18 who applies for asylum in his or her own right and who has no relative or guardian in the UK.

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UASC is someone who is under 18 and applies for asylum in his or her own right

Analysis of Government figures released on Thursday provides fresh evidence of the sharp jump in UASC applications amid the international migration crisis.

The number received in October, November and December was 80 per cent higher than in the same period of the previous year.

In addition, the annual total of 3,043 for 2015 was an increase of 56 per cent compared with 2014. It remains below a peak level of 3,976 recorded in 2008.

The countries with the highest number of UASC applications last year were Eritrea (694), Afghanistan (656) and Albania (456).

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There has been a sharp jump in UASC applications amid the international migrant crisis

Of the total of 1,932 cases in which an initial decision was made, two thirds were granted asylum, humanitarian protection or leave to remain.

Most of the lone under-18s seeking asylum in the last three months of 2015 were male. Across both genders 104 applications were from those in the youngest age category - under 14.

The rising number of children applying for asylum has prompted warnings about the impact on some local authorities.

Migrant crisis in Europe

Mon, February 29, 2016

Hundreds of migrants are continuing to arrive in Europe as they flee the scenes of chaos and brutality of the Islamic State in the Middle East.

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Migrants break the fence on the Greek-Macedonia border

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Under the Children Act 1989, it is a council's legal responsibility to care for under-18s who arrive in their local authority area from abroad, seeking international protection.

Town halls are responsible for costs including schooling, foster care, university fees and housing.

Estimates suggest the support amounts to £50,000 each year per child.

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Councils are responsible for costs such as schooling, foster care, and housing

Last year officials at Kent County Council - in one of Britain's main gateways - warned that services for child asylum seekers were at "breaking point".

The Government has come under pressure to offer shelter to 3,000 unaccompanied migrant children in Europe.

In January ministers announced plans to work with the United Nations refugee agency to resettle children from around the Syrian region.