UK Delay Repay compared: 15-minute vs 30-minute thresholds by operator
Every UK train operating company (TOC) runs its own version of Delay Repay. Some pay out from 15 minutes late, others only kick in at 30. Here's the current picture across Avanti West Coast, South Western Railway, LNER, GWR, Southeastern and more — plus the direct claim portal for each.
Delay Repay 15 vs Delay Repay 30 — what changed?
Delay Repay is the industry-wide compensation scheme for delayed train journeys in Great Britain. It replaces the older Passenger's Charter and pays compensation regardless of the cause of the delay — even if it was outside the operator's control.
Since 2018 the Department for Transport has been rolling out Delay Repay 15, which pays 25% of the single fare from just 15 minutes' delay. Most large operators — including Avanti West Coast, South Western Railway, GWR, Southeastern, Thameslink and Northern — are already on the 15-minute threshold. A handful, notably LNER, CrossCountry and ScotRail, still operate on the older 30-minute threshold.
Operator-by-operator comparison
| Operator | Threshold | Scheme | Claim portal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Avanti West Coast | 15 minutes | Delay Repay 15 | Open portal |
| South Western Railway | 15 minutes | Delay Repay 15 | Open portal |
| LNER | 30 minutes | Delay Repay 30 | Open portal |
| Great Western Railway | 15 minutes | Delay Repay 15 | Open portal |
| Southeastern | 15 minutes | Delay Repay 15 | Open portal |
| Southern | 15 minutes | Delay Repay 15 | Open portal |
| Thameslink | 15 minutes | Delay Repay 15 | Open portal |
| Northern | 15 minutes | Delay Repay 15 | Open portal |
| TransPennine Express | 15 minutes | Delay Repay 15 | Open portal |
| CrossCountry | 30 minutes | Delay Repay 30 | Open portal |
| ScotRail | 30 minutes | Delay Repay 30 | Open portal |
| Elizabeth Line | 30 minutes | TfL Service Delay Refund | Open portal |
| London Overground | 30 minutes | TfL Service Delay Refund | Open portal |
| London Underground | 15 minutes | TfL Service Delay Refund | Open portal |
South Western Railway delays
South Western Railway (SWR) is on the Delay Repay 15 scheme. You can claim 25% of your single fare for a 15–29 minute delay, 50% for 30–59 minutes, and 100% for a delay of 60 minutes or more. Claims must be submitted within 28 days of the affected journey via the official SWR Delay Repay page.
Avanti West Coast Delay Repay
Avanti West Coast also uses Delay Repay 15. Because Avanti runs long-distance services between London Euston, the West Midlands, North West England and Scotland, payouts on Anytime and Off-Peak fares can be significant — 100% of the single fare kicks in at 60+ minutes. File through the Avanti West Coast Delay Repay portal.
TfL services — Elizabeth Line, Overground and Tube
Transport for London runs a separate Service Delay Refund scheme. For the Elizabeth Line and London Overground, delays of 30 minutes or more qualify for a refund equal to the single fare. On London Underground, the threshold drops to 15 minutes for TfL-caused delays.
Skip the paperwork with Transport for Claims
Transport for Claims automatically detects when your journey qualifies for Delay Repay across every operator listed above, prefills the correct portal, and tracks the refund back to your bank account.
Check my delaysFrequently asked questions
Which UK operators pay from 15 minutes late?
Avanti West Coast, South Western Railway, GWR, Southeastern, Southern, Thameslink, Gatwick Express, Northern, TransPennine Express, Greater Anglia and c2c all operate Delay Repay 15.
Which operators still use a 30-minute threshold?
LNER, CrossCountry and ScotRail still operate on Delay Repay 30 as of 2026, along with TfL's Elizabeth Line and London Overground Service Delay Refund.
How long do I have to claim?
Most operators require Delay Repay claims within 28 days of the delayed journey. TfL Service Delay Refunds must be requested within 14 days.