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Train delayed? Get your money back or support children at risk
Half of people don't claim compensation on their delayed train journey
Don’t let your delayed journey go to waste – read our guide to claiming your compensation and learn how to easily donate it to vulnerable children.
Author: Con Enzler | Date: 5th November 2025
What is Delay Repay?
Trains delays can be a real inconvenience. Yet, not many people know they can claim money back if their train is late. BBC Breakfast recently reported that only about 50% of people claim money back through Delay Repay, despite being eligible for it.
So here’s a handy guide explaining the scheme and how you can use to claim compensation after a delayed journey or, and if you choose, donate it to us!
Delay Repay is a national scheme that allows you to get money back when your train journey is delayed. You can usually receive compensation it if your journey has been delayed by 15-30 minutes or more. How much you’ll get depends on:
- The train company you travelled with – although they all offer compensation, they may have different schemes
- What type of ticket you bought
- How much of a delay there was – this is usually calculated by what time the train arrived, not how late it set off.
How does Delay Repay work?
There are two ways to make a claim:
- Online – through the train company website
- By post – by downloading a forms from a company website or requesting it from a staffed station
You’ll need to submit proof of your purchased ticket with your claim. This could be a receipt, a screenshot of your e-ticket, or a photo of your paper ticket.
If your claim is successful, there are several ways you can receive payment – by bank transfer, debit/credit card, or some companies let you donate your compensation to one of their chosen charity partners, one of which could be us!
Donating to Railway Children through Delay Repay
If the train operator for your delayed train is one of the below, you can choose the option to donate the money to help vulnerable children on the railways, instead of getting a refund:
Simply select this option on the claim form and choose whether you want the money to go to us or another charity partner.
Where will my donation go?
About 11,000 vulnerable children are reported to British Transport Police on the rail network every year.
Alone and vulnerable at stations and trains, they’re at risk of dangers like exploitation, abuse and self-harm, from the likes of County Lines Gangs.
We support children who have been found to be at risk on the rail network, helping them and their families tackle their issues and find a brighter path forward.
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