Don't forget to renew your passport

Many people are leaving it too late to renew their passports. And one in five have no idea when their passport expires. Research by Post Office Travel Services has led to the UK Passport Service to urge travellers to ensure their passports are up to date to avoid last-minute panic. The poll of 1,000 people also discovered that a third of people are put off from renewing their passport due to the form filling involved. As a result, the Post Office is highlighting its ‘Check & Send’ service, which is designed to help people complete their passport applications quickly and correctly. Applications are checked by Post Office staff for errors prior to being sent to the passport office. The service is available at 2,000 Post Offices. UK Passport Service claims that the ‘Check & Send’ process reduces incorrect passport applications from 12.5% to 1%. Post Office head of travel service Hugh Stacey said: “Research shows UK travellers generally tend to take their passport for granted and forget to check the details inside until the last minute. For many this is as they run out of the door or even as they queue at the airport. Unfortunately, this may mean their holiday is brought to an abrupt halt at the check-in.” Report by Phil Davies