I believe your can apply for a British passport after 36 weeks of living in the UK , We have the IDL Visa. I have searched for the Information on the UK Boarder Agency, i have also read that you can only apply for a British citizenship after 5 years would that be correct. so how would you get a British passport without being a British citizen. or maybe i have read it wrong. would any body know or been through this.

What passport do you carry now?

Only British citizens can apply for a British passport; well non citizens could apply but the application would be refused!

Are you talking about renewing your passport, or obtaining British citizenship for your wife?

If the former, see here.

If the latter, then the residential qualification for the spouse of a British citizen is that your wife must have been legally in the UK on the exact date three years prior to applying and during the intervening three years have spent no more than 270 days in total out of the UK with no more than 90 days in the final year.

See British Citizenship Basics for more details.