Since I've read a lot of posts on here over the last couple of weeks leading up to my ILR appointment, thought I'd describe my day in the Glasgow PEO and hope it is helpful to someone
I came over on working holiday, moved to HSMP when WH ran out, changed to Tier 1 when HSMP had to be renewed. Then applied for ILR Set(O) - I wanted to get it over and done with so went for the premium service, the only place that I could get an appointment was Glasgow, so flew up the night before, back to London after the appointment.
To start with, went through security, they were all very cheerful and chatty, had a look at my passport to make sure I was on the list, walked through the metal detector and they then had a good look through my bag. Had to leave my phone with them in their cloak room.
After that, in to the waiting area, quick chat with the gentleman running things who was very apologetic that I'd have to wait just over an hour until my appointment - I was over an hour early since I had nothing else to do, so wasn't like they were running late. He didn't hand out numbers to people until about five minutes before they were called up.
When my number was called up, went to the appropriate booth which was like a bank teller desk - glass wall with a drawer that you put your documents in and slide through. The woman that I spoke with just asked for my application and all my documention, then asked me to wait in the waiting area until she called me back. She then quickly went through my form and supplied documentation - I'm assuming to make sure there was nothing missing or obviously wrong. She called me back and gave me some of my documentation back - I had an extra pay slip and a copy of my degree 'just in case' She then said that it'd go to a case worker and I'd have a decision in an hour and a half (guessing booking an appointment just before lunch is going to slow the process down a bit). I noticed that a couple of other people sat at these booths whilst their documentation was being checked, no idea why I got sent away.
Was then directed to the booth for biometrics - finger prints and a photo.
The woman who took my finger prints mentioned the cafe across the road, so went there and grabbed some lunch and then went for a short walk, then back through security to wait for the decision.
Number got called after about an hour 45. Got the good news and the case worker explained some bits and pieces about the paper work he was giving me and that my ID card would arrive in about a week.
Some other random bits and pieces:
There's some celeb gosip magazines but that's it in terms of things to do in the waiting room, so take a book. I'd planned on playing a game / browsing web on my phone, but that ended when I had to check my phone in.
Stayed at the Swallow Glasgow hotel which was about a three minute taxi ride away, don't think the cabbie was too impressed with such a short trip. Hotel was OK, bed was a bit uncomfortable, but was relatively cheap (£50).
There wasn't a payment desk, the payment was taken after I had handed over my form / documentation, so make sure you fill in the payment page (I thought I'd have to put my card in a chip and pin machine and wasn't going to fill in the payment page, lucky I did
)All of the staff were friendly, answered all of my questions and let me know what was going to happen next.