Passport renewal confusion

[MummyFoxy]

Hello,
My OH is due to travel abroad with work next month. He had a sudden panic this weekend realising the new passport rules for EU travel post-brexit (only valid 10 years from issue date, not up to the actual expiry date) and has submitted a passport application (which will be cutting it fine for when he needs to travel). But now he's realised he got his dates muddled up and the passport will be valid after all He's submitted and paid for the application but not sent his passport in yet. Does anyone have any clue whether his current passport stays valid until he sends it in (I.e. could he travel on this one, and then send it in to complete his renewal when he gets home)? He's going to call the passport office tomorrow but thought I'd call on the wisdom of Mumsnet to see if anyone else has been in this situation as he's worrying tonight! Thank you

I'm pretty sure nothing happens with an application til you send the old one in so he could just fly on the old one then send it in when he gets back. There is a huge backlog anyway so if he needs it next month I definitely wouldn't risk sending it in now, he would be unlikely to get a new one back in time. We did one in November and it took five weeks I think.