Delay Repay

Get compensation when you're delayed by 15 minutes or more.

We know even small delays can have a knock-on effect on your day. So, you can claim compensation if you arrive at your destination station at least 15 minutes late and you have a valid ticket for your journey.

Delays are based on your train’s arrival time at your destination compared to the scheduled arrival time, and are calculated against the advertised timetable. If you had to abandon your journey or chose not to travel because of the delay you should apply for a ticket refund.

The easiest way to make a Delay Repay claim is online but you can also apply by post. If you bought an Advance Single ticket from our app or website, you may be eligible for one-click Delay Repay.

Make a Delay Repay claim online Download a claim form

Recent problems on our network...

We experienced the following problems on Thursday, which impacted services on our St Albans Abbey - Watford Junction, London Euston - Northampton - Birmingham New St. and Birmingham New St. to Liverpool lines because of the following:

  • Cancellations to services between Watford Junction and St Albans Abbey
  • Cancellations to services between Northampton and Wolverton
  • Cancellations to services between Liverpool Lime Street and Crewe

We're really sorry if you were affected - we work hard to keep disruption to a minimum. Find out more about what we do when things go wrong.

Compensation payments

How your compensation is calculated

Delay Repay compensation is calculated as a percentage of your ticket cost. It is based on:

  • The length of the delay in minutes: 15-29, 30-59, 60-119, 120 or more
  • The type of ticket you have: Daily ticket (single or return), contactless pay as you go, Flexi Season or Season Ticket

The maximum compensation you can receive is 100% of your train ticket cost, or equivalent daily travel cost for season tickets. Click on your ticket type below to see the compensation you could be eligible for.

If you want to claim for additional travel costs caused by the delay, such as a taxi fare or replacement ticket, please contact our Customer Relations team. They’ll consider each claim on a case-by-case basis.

Daily tickets include Advance Single, Anytime (Single or Return), Off-Peak (Single or Return), Super Off-Peak (Single or Return), AnyTrain, nNetwork One Day and Daytripper tickets.

Compensation is calculated as a percentage of your total Single or Return ticket price.

CompensationSingle (one-way) ticketReturn ticket
15-29 min delay25% of ticket cost12.5% of ticket cost
30-59 min delay50% of ticket cost25% of ticket cost
60-119 min delay100% of ticket cost50% of ticket cost
120+ min delay100% of ticket cost100% of ticket cost

When you use pay as you go with contactless, you’ll be charged the best adult fare for the day and time of your journey. If you make multiple journeys into or within London, you could also benefit from daily or weekly (Monday to Sunday) price capping.
Delay Repay compensation is based on whether you made a single pay as you go journey, or if you benefitted from the daily or weekly price cap.

  • Single journey: Compensation is calculated as a percentage of your single journey cost
  • Daily or weekly price capped journeys: Compensation is calculated as a percentage of your daily travel cost:
    • The daily price capped fare is your daily travel cost. It is calculated over a 24-hour period, from 04:30 to 04:29 the next day

Compensation is calculated as a percentage of your daily travel cost.

The daily travel cost is based on one return journey per working day, and five working days per week. We work this out by dividing the cost of your Season Ticket by:

  • Flexi Season: 8 return journeys
  • Weekly/7-day Season Ticket: 5 return journeys
  • Monthly/4-week Season Ticket: 20 return journeys
  • Annual Season Ticket: 232 return journeys

If you create a Delay Repay account, you can save your Season Ticket details for any future claims you might need to make while your ticket is valid.

CompensationFlexi Season or Season Ticket
15-29 min delay12.5% of daily travel cost
30-59 min delay25% of daily travel cost
60-119 min delay50% of daily travel cost
120+ min delay100% of daily travel cost

Payment methods

You can request your preferred payment method from credit/debit card, BACS, PayPal, National Rail vouchers, or a charity donation.

When you claim Delay Repay online you can choose to support Birmingham Children's Hospital Charity with your compensation. The charity strives to do more for the 90,000 children who need the hospital every year, beyond what the NHS alone can offer. Your donation will help them to purchase new lifesaving equipment, fund ground-breaking research, support innovation within the hospital and enhance the patient experience.

Things to note

  • You must submit your application within 28 days of your travel date
  • You can only make one Delay Repay claim per journey. If you travelled on more than one train, with multiple train operators, submit your claim to the train company that caused your first delay or caused you to miss a connecting train
  • You can claim compensation from us if you were delayed by 15 minutes or more on a London Northwestern Railway train. Or if a delay on our service caused you to miss a connecting train, resulting in a delay of 15 minutes or more at your destination
  • If your initial delay was caused by another train company, you should submit your Delay Repay claim to them, even if you bought your ticket from us
  • Delay length is based on your train’s actual arrival time at your destination compared to the scheduled arrival time
  • Delays are calculated against the planned, advertised timetable so compensation is not usually offered during periods of pre-planned engineering works and when replacement bus services are used
  • Fully completed and accurate claim forms are processed more quickly. It will delay your claim if we have to contact you for more information
  • We have an established monitoring system to check and validate each claim. If we approve your claim, you should receive your compensation payment within 14 days of the decision
  • Sending us a Delay Repay claim doesn’t guarantee that you’ll get compensation, and it doesn’t affect your legal rights. These rights are set out in the National Rail Conditions of Travel
  • If you provide false information to claim compensation or a refund you’re not entitled to, it is considered fraud under the Fraud Act 2006. This includes name, address, contact details, ticket details, journey details and payment details
  • If you can’t find the answers to your Delay Repay questions here, contact us online via our Customer Relations form and select ‘general enquiry’, or telephone us on 0333 311 0006

Delay Repay online claims troubleshooting

Here you’ll find step-by-step instructions for making a Delay Repay claim.

You can only make one Delay Repay claim per journey. If you travelled on more than one train, with multiple train operators, submit your claim to the train company that caused your first delay or caused you to miss a connecting train.

Click the headings for details on how to complete each section of the online claim form.

  • When were you delayed: Select your travel date and the timetabled departure time of your train (or first train if your journey involved more than one)
    NOTE: You should enter the details of the journey you booked/planned to take, even if the delay meant you had to take different trains
  • Journey start and end stations: Enter the stations where you started and finished your journey. Ignore any intermediate stations if you changed trains along the way
  • Select your journey: You’ll be presented with the timetabled services closest to your entered journey. Click ‘View this journey’ to see all journey legs. You’ll have the option to:
    • ‘Amend this journey’ so the journey legs match your planned itinerary
    • ‘Select this journey’ to continue to the next step
    • ‘Add manually’ if your planned journey doesn’t appear
  • Add manually: If applicable, for example if you’d planned extra time to change trains
    • Number of changes: Select the number of train changes in your journey from 1 - 6, excluding any underground, bus or tram connections
      EXAMPLE: Wolverton to Gatwick Airport involves 2 changes with 3 journey legs. However, one of these legs is the underground from London Euston to London Victoria that should be ignored. In this example select ‘1 change’, to give you the 2 journey legs by train
    • Journey leg 1: Enter the from and to stations for the first leg of your rail journey and the scheduled departure time of the train you planned to take
      EXAMPLE: Wolverton to London Euston at 10:00
    • Journey leg 2: Enter the from and to stations for the second leg of your rail journey and the scheduled departure time of the train you planned to take
      EXAMPLE: London Victoria to Gatwick Airport at 11:59

    • Repeat this for each rail leg of your own journey

      The form will display a list of train services -/+ 1 hour from your entered departure time for each leg. The closest match is preselected, but you can click another service to select that instead. Then click ‘Continue’ to move to the next step.

      If the system can’t find any matching services it will say so. Go back a step and double check the journey details you’ve entered match the train service/s you booked or planned to take.

  • Length of delay: Select the option that corresponds to the amount of time between your scheduled arrival time and your actual arrival time at your destination
  • Type of delay: Select the reason your journey was delayed, from: delayed train, cancelled train, train didn’t stop at your station, or the train was too busy so you couldn’t board it
    • Missed connection: Tick if the delay caused you to miss your connecting train/s
    • Multiple passengers: Tick if you were travelling as part of a group (each passenger will still need to submit their own claim)
  • Did you use more than one ticket to complete this journey:
    • Yes: Select if you had multiple tickets to cover your journey, e.g. split tickets
    • No: Select if you only had one ticket for your journey
  • How many tickets did you use (if you answered ‘Yes’ above): Select from 2-6 tickets from the drop down list
  • Does your ticket have a QR code:
    • QR Code: Select if you have a QR code ticket, e.g. Mobile ticket
    • My ticket does not have a QR code: Select if you used a paper ticket, Smartcard, Swift card, Oyster card, or contactless pay as you go

All photo and screenshot uploads must be saved as a JPG, JPEG, PNG or PDF file and have a file size smaller than 10MB.

Repeat this step for each ticket used to complete your journey. The evidence required depends on your ticket format:

  • QR code ticket:
    • Upload a photo or screenshot of your ticket[
      If you no longer have access to your e-ticket, contact your ticket retailer and they can give you a copy suitable for a delay repay claim
    • Enter your ticket’s unique ticket reference number (UTN): Click ‘How to find UTN’ on the claim form for examples of which number this is on your ticket
  • Ticket collection reference:
    • Upload a photo or screenshot of your ticket
    • Enter your 8-digit collection reference number (CTR): Click ‘How to find CTR’ on the claim form for examples of which number this is on your confirmation email or receipt
  • Smartcard or Swift card:
  • Enter the Smartcard number displayed on your card
  • Ticket price: Enter the ticket price. For claims with two or more tickets for your journey this is the price of each individual ticket, not the total journey cost
  • Oyster card:
    • Upload a copy of the TfL statement of your journey
      You can download your statement from the Transport for London (TfL) website but you’ll need to set up a TfL account to see more than 7 days of journey history
      Other screenshots, receipts or bank statements won’t be accepted as proof of travel
    • Enter Oyster card: Enter your 12-digit Oyster card number
    • Ticket price: Enter your ticket price
  • Contactless:
    • Upload a copy of the TfL statement of your journey
      You can download your statement from the Transport for London (TfL) website but you’ll need to set up a TfL account to see your journey history
      Other screenshots, receipts or bank statements won’t be accepted as proof of travel
    • Stations: Select your origin and destination stations from the stations autocomplete
    • Date from: Enter the start date of your contactless payment card (if there is one)
    • Expiry date: Enter the expiry date of your contactless payment card
    • Ticket price: Enter your ticket price
    • Ticket class: Select Standard Class or First Class from the dropdown list

  • Paper ticket:

    • Upload a photo of your train ticket
      Make sure this is your ticket and not the seat reservation or receipt
      If you have a single, return or day travelcard ticket, please deface your ticket by drawing a single line across it in pen or cut the ticket in half before you photograph it. Do not deface your ticket if it’s valid for multiple journeys, for example if you have a Season Ticket
    • Number: Add your ticket reference number - click ‘How to find the ticket reference’ on screen for examples of which number this is on your ticket
    • Ticket price: Enter the price of the ticket you’re uploading. For claims with two or more tickets for your journey this is the price of each individual ticket, not the total journey cost

    NOTE: Receipts or booking confirmation emails aren’t usually accepted as valid proof of travel. However, if you no longer have your ticket, for example your paper ticket was swallowed by a barrier, our Customer Relations team may accept alternative evidence.

    NOTE: Should you hold a return ticket, please only submit the relevant outward or return portion along with your claim.

    All tickets:

  • Once you’ve entered your ticket information you might be asked for additional details to help validate your claim. Click continue and follow the on screen instructions for your ticket type
  • Check the details of your ticket/s: Click ‘Back’ to amend or ‘Continue’ to confirm
    confirm

Select your preferred payment method and enter your details (where necessary):

  • Credit/Debit card: Enter your payment card details. Your card will be saved in your Delay Repay account for future claims
  • BACS: Enter your bank or building society account number and sort code
  • PayPal: Make sure the email address you enter on the Delay Repay claim form matches your PayPal account email
  • Rail Travel Voucher: These can be used to pay for train tickets or exchanged for cash at our ticket offices
  • Donate your compensation to Birmingham Children’s Hospital Charity
  • Check the details of your journey, personal details, ticket/s and compensation method. You can click the ‘Edit’ icon in each section to amend any of these details
    Fully completed and accurate claim forms are processed more quickly. It will delay your claim if we have to contact you for more information
  • Tick the reCAPTCHA box
  • Click ‘Submit claim’ to finish

You can check the status of your online claim anytime via ‘Check my claim status’ on the Delay Repay claim form.

If you can’t find the answers to your Delay Repay questions here, please contact our Customer Relations team:
● Online and select ‘general enquiry’
● By phone on 0333 311 0006

Frequently asked questions

You can claim compensation if your train is delayed by 15 minutes or more and you have a valid ticket for your journey. Delay length is based on your train’s actual arrival time at your destination compared to the scheduled arrival time.

You can claim Delay Repay on daily tickets, contactless pay as you go journeys, Season Tickets and Flexi Seasons.

With Flexi Seasons you can claim compensation if you’ve activated a day of travel and are delayed by 15 minutes or more. However, if you’ve activated a day of travel and choose not to travel at the last minute due to the train delays you should apply for a refund from our Customer Relations team.

You can only make one Delay Repay claim per journey. If you travelled on more than one train, with multiple train operators, submit your claim to the train company that caused your first delay or caused you to miss a connecting train.

You should submit your claim to us if:

  • You were delayed by 15 minutes or more on a London Northwestern Railway train
  • A delay on your London Northwestern Railway train caused you to miss a connecting service, resulting in a delay of 15 minutes or more at your destination

If your initial delay was caused by another train company, you should submit your Delay Repay claim to them, even if you bought your ticket from us.

Claim Delay Repay

You’ll need to include evidence of your ticket/s with your claim form, and we must receive your claim within 28 days of your affected travel date.

  • Online:
  • By post:
    • Download and print off a Delay Repay claim form PDF or pick up a copy from our staffed stations
    • Post the completed form in an envelope, with evidence of your ticket/s, to:
      Freepost LONDON NORTHWESTERN RAILWAY DELAY REPAY

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You’ll need to provide evidence that you had a valid ticket for your delayed journey as part of the claims process. To prevent fraudulent Delay Repay claims, we don’t accept receipts or booking confirmation emails as proof of travel unless your actual ticket number is visible on the receipt.

Proof of valid ticket

  • QR code and paper tickets: You’ll need to upload a photo or screenshot of your ticket. If you hold multiple tickets, such as split tickets, you will need to take a photo of each ticket used to complete your journey
    If you no longer have access to your QR-coded e-ticket, contact your ticket retailer and they can give you a copy suitable for a Delay Repay claim
  • Smartcard and Swift card users: You will need to enter your Smartcard number
  • Oyster card and Contactless pay as you go: You will need to upload a copy of the TfL statement of your journey. You can download your statement from the Transport for London (TfL) website but you’ll need to set up a TfL account to see more than 7 days of journey history
  • Other screenshots, receipts or bank statements won’t be accepted as proof of travel

Proof of defaced/spoilt tickets

If you have single or return paper ticket/s we will ask you to deface your ticket when you make a Delay Repay claim. This is to ensure the ticket cannot be used or claimed against more than once.

Do not deface your ticket if it’s valid for multiple journeys, for example if you have a Season Ticket (weekly, monthly, annual) or Student Term ticket.

You can deface your single or return ticket by drawing a single line across it in pen, or by cutting the ticket in half. We won’t accept lines drawn in pencil or digitally.

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Our one-click Delay Repay service makes claiming compensation easier for qualifying journeys.

You'll be eligible for one-click Delay Repay if you bought an Advance Single ticket from our app or website through your London Northwestern Railway or West Midlands Railway account.

How it works

If your qualifying journey is delayed by 15 minutes or more, you’ll receive an email the day after you travel prompting you to submit a Delay Repay claim. Click the link in the email and the system will automatically fill out and submit the claim form for you.

One-click Delay Repay doesn’t apply to any other ticket types or to tickets purchased elsewhere. You can’t use one-click Delay Repay if you’ve already made a claim for that journey.

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Online claims

We’ll email you a link to login and update your claim if any of the information you’ve submitted is incomplete or invalid, for example if the uploaded ticket isn’t valid for the selected journey date.

Please review the highlighted information and resubmit your claim.

You can also provide this information via ‘Check my claim status’ on the Delay Repay claim form.

Claims by post

We may send your claim form back to you if it is incomplete or missing mandatory information that we need to process your claim. We’ll highlight the additional information we need from you.

Please review and fill in the highlighted fields before posting the claim form back to us.

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We hope you’ll be satisfied with the outcome of your Delay Repay claim. However, if you believe your claim has been incorrectly rejected or you think you’ve been underpaid, you have one month to submit an appeal.

You’ll need your claim reference and either the email address or postcode provided to us when your claim was submitted. Your claim reference is specified in any correspondence we have sent you about this claim.

When your appeal is submitted, we will revisit your claim and any supporting information you’ve provided, and get back in touch with a further decision.

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