Not a good time to renew a passport

TWO years on from the start of the Covid pandemic and many Government departments are still not back to half their capacity – yet drivers, travellers and hard-pressed workers are still complaining of swingeing delays to usual service.

Several key departments, including the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA), are doing ‘hybrid’ working that sees staff and executives work for up to three days a week at home.

The DVLA has repeatedly insisted the new WFH culture has not affected services, but reports have emerged of some motorists waiting months for their licences to come through.

Holidaymakers are also being urged not to delay if they need to renew their passport this summer. Despite multiple pressures on the Home Office, including migrant crossings and processing visas for Ukrainian refugees, on average only 42 per cent of staff were at their workplace in the first week in April.