shinymcshine wrote:I'd ignore all the media "horror" stories and get advice directly from the
http://www.gov.uk site, such as:
Upgrades for urgent travel
People in the UK who have an urgent need to travel will be able to upgrade their application without charge. This means that after their application has been through the proper checks, the processing, printing and delivery of their new passport will be fast-tracked for free. To qualify, customers must be booked to travel within the next 7 days and their application must have been with the Passport Office for longer than the standard processing time of three weeks through no fault of their own.
Customers will be asked to provide details – such as flight numbers and travel company – to confirm their travel plans. The ‘urgent need to travel’ upgrade is open to all those who have applied by post from within the UK and who meet the criteria above. Unless there are valid compassionate grounds, this will not apply to adults applying for their first passport, as they still need to attend an interview to confirm their identity. The upgrade is available immediately and can be requested through the Passport Adviceline. It is a temporary change and is not retrospective.
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/addi ... ort-demand 
