We booked a long haul holiday last November for this coming November / December and the destination requires six months passport validity at the end our stay. We were unable to submit renewals until we knew for sure an earlier trip scheduled for June / July had been cancelled.
So our experience so far:
2 X renewals submitted online Sunday 28th June
2 X old passports posted 29th June (mine to Durham and my wife’s to Glasgow)
Both were signed for before 09:00 at the respective offices the following morning.
Since then, my wife’s has been acknowledged, approved and confirmed as posted back, whereas Durham have yet to acknowledge receipt of my old passport!
Strange to have such a discrepancy. I see from these boards that many have waited far longer so I am not unduly concerned yet.