Demand rises for passports as workers begin strike

There has been a "temporary increase" successful request for caller passports up of much than 1,000 Passport Office workers starting 5 weeks of onslaught action.

The Home Office confirmed a emergence successful applications but said the magnitude was "close" to levels estimated.

It said determination were presently nary plans to alteration its 10-week guidance for passports to beryllium processed and sent out.

Members of the Public and Commercial Services national are striking until 5 May successful a enactment implicit jobs, wage and conditions.

Workers volition locomotion retired crossed England, Scotland and Wales from Monday, portion employees moving successful Belfast volition onslaught from 7 April to 5 May.

The PCS national has warned of delays to applications and the transportation of passports successful the run-up to summer.

But the Home Office told the BBC portion determination had been an summation successful demand, "the fig of passport applications remains adjacent to forecasted volumes".

"There are presently nary plans to alteration our guidance which states that it takes up to 10 weeks to get a passport," it said.

It is understood radical who necessitate a passport connected compassionate grounds for urgent question volition inactive beryllium capable to get one. However, determination volition beryllium a simplification successful the magnitude of appointments disposable for different "urgent" services.

The Home Office said it was "disappointed" by the onslaught action, and added it was "working to manage" the disruption, and proceed the work done "comprehensive contingency plans".

More than 4,000 radical are employed by the Passport Office crossed the UK, which means that according to national figures astir 1 successful 4 workers volition instrumentality action.

The national has said the walkouts are being targeted to origin wide disruption and impact members moving successful departments which analyse passports - much than 1,300 people.

The offices affected successful England, Scotland and Wales see Durham, Glasgow, Liverpool, London, Newport, Peterborough and Southport.

At highest times - including the period of April erstwhile the onslaught volition instrumentality spot - the Passport Office tin person 250,000 applications per week, question adept Simon Calder has antecedently said.

He added that means much than 1 cardinal applications could beryllium sent during the onslaught period.

Current waiting times for archetypal big passports are conscionable implicit 18 days portion renewals are conscionable implicit 14 days, according to Passportwaitingtime.com, an independent assemblage sourcing website which relies connected radical inputting their ain exertion hold times.

But determination are fears the strikes could pb to passports not being processed successful clip for immoderate people's holidays.

A UK big passport is valid for 10 years, but if it is owed to expire you whitethorn beryllium refused introduction into immoderate countries. Guidance for each state tin beryllium recovered connected the government's overseas question proposal website.

It said immoderate 360,000 customers waited much than 10 weeks to person their passports successful the archetypal 9 months of 2022 and warned that up to 10 cardinal applications could perchance beryllium submitted this year.

PCS wide caput Mark Serwotka has antecedently said the onslaught enactment was implicit the authorities refusing to summation a projected 2% wage emergence and added ministers had "failed to clasp immoderate meaningful talks".

Inflation, which is the complaint astatine which user prices rise, was 10.4% successful the twelvemonth to February.A onslaught money worthy millions, funded by a levy from PCS members, has been built up to wage unit successful afloat during the people of the five-week walkout, the national has said.

The authorities has urged the national to "recognise what is tenable and affordable, arsenic the full state faces these outgo of surviving challenges".

Are you waiting for a caller passport? Are you a passport bureau idiosyncratic striking? Share your experiences by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk.

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