Holidaymakers trying to get their passports renewed in time for their summer breaks could be facing even more frustration and delays, according to an internal memo leaked to the press.
The problem lies within the computer system at the Passport Office, whose workers are struggling with it in their efforts to plough through around half a million applications for new passports and renewals. Some of the workers there are saying the system is not fit for purpose.
They claim the software designed for issuing the passports was implemented in too much of a hurry and that staff have resorted to going back older, slower manual routines to try to get to grips with the mounting backlog. According to reports in The Times and The Sun, disgruntled staff claim they are being made to feel like “peasants” while ministers and executives responsible refuse to support them.
