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15 vs 30 Minutes: Delay Repay Thresholds by UK Train Operator

Published 22 September 2026 • Delayo. Guides

One detail catches a lot of passengers out: not every operator starts compensating at the same point. Most run "Delay Repay 15" — compensation from 15 minutes late — but a handful only start at 30 minutes. Assuming the wrong threshold is one of the more common (and avoidable) reasons a claim gets submitted for a delay that was never going to qualify.

Operators offering Delay Repay from 15 minutes

• Apex Rail Express TO
• Avanti West Coast
• c2c
• East Midlands Railway
• Great Northern
• Great Western Railway (GWR)
• Greater Anglia
• London Northwestern Railway
• Northern Trains
• South Western Railway
• Southeastern
• Southern Railway
• Thameslink
• TransPennine Express
• Transport for Wales
• West Midlands Railway

Operators starting from 30 minutes

• Chiltern Railways
• CrossCountry
• London North Eastern Railway (LNER)
• ScotRail

Why the difference exists

"Delay Repay 15" was an industry-wide commitment that most, but not all, operators had adopted by the time it was rolled out nationally — it lowered the qualifying threshold from the older 30-minute standard down to 15 minutes. Operators that still run the 30-minute threshold haven't necessarily opted out of anything special; it simply reflects where their specific passenger charter and Conditions of Travel currently sit.

Same compensation tiers either way

Once you're over your operator's minimum threshold, the percentage tiers themselves are consistent across almost all operators — 25% for 15–29 minutes (where applicable), 50% for 30–59 minutes, and 100% for 60 minutes or more. See our full guide to how Delay Repay is calculated for the detail.

Check before you claim

If your delay was under 30 minutes and your operator isn't on the 15-minute list above, it's worth double-checking your operator's own current policy before submitting — thresholds are set by each operator and can change. Every operator page on Delayo. shows the current minimum delay, claim window and compensation policy we have on file for that operator.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do all UK train operators compensate from 15 minutes late?

No — most do, under "Delay Repay 15", but some operators still only start compensating from 30 minutes late.

Is the compensation percentage different depending on the threshold?

No — once you’re past your operator’s minimum delay, the same tiered percentages (25% / 50% / 100%) generally apply regardless of whether that operator’s threshold is 15 or 30 minutes.

Can an operator’s threshold change over time?

Yes, thresholds are set by each operator’s own passenger charter and Conditions of Travel and can be updated — always worth checking your specific operator’s current policy.