Delay Repay Performance and Continuous Improvement Report

Delay Repay Performance

During Rail Year 2025–2026, total Delay Repay claims increased by 7.6% compared to the previous year. This growth reflects both increased customer journeys (+8.5%) and improved awareness of the scheme.

Despite higher volumes:

• 75% of claims were approved, broadly consistent with 76% in the previous year, indicating stable decision-making quality.
• 12% of rejected claims were referred to other train operators.

Customer Awareness

The increase in claims, alongside growth in passenger journeys, suggests improved customer awareness of Delay Repay when factoring performance improvement in train service delivery. This has been supported by:

• Onboard automated announcements.
• Improved station signage and advertising.
• Clearer signposting during ticket purchase.

Processing Performance

Performance improved significantly during the year:

• 99.5% of claims were processed within 20 days (up from 98.6%).
• Average processing time reduced from 8.6 days to 6.5 days.

This represents a 24% reduction in processing time, improving customer satisfaction and reducing follow-up contact.

Delay Repay Complaints

A total of 2,892 complaints were received in Rail Year 2025–2026, compared to 2,732 in the previous year.

However, when adjusted for the 7.5% increase in claim volumes, this equates to a 2.5% reduction in complaint rate, demonstrating an overall improvement in customer experience.

Improvements Delivered in Rail Year 2025–2026

A number of improvements were implemented to improve automation, reduce handling time, and improve customer experience.

1. Increased Automation

Automation rates increased from 78% to 80%, reducing manual intervention, improving consistency, and supporting faster processing.

2. E-Ticket and Barcode Recognition

New scanning functionality was introduced, allowing customers to upload ticket images rather than manually entering details.

Impact:

• Reduced customer effort
• Increased claim automation levels
• Improved accuracy of submissions
• Contributed to a 2.1-day reduction in processing times
• Supported digital and season ticket users

3. Improved Customer Communications

Customer messaging was enhanced to ensure requests for additional information are clear and specific.

Impact:

• First-time response rate improved from 72% to 78%
• Reduced delays caused by incomplete submissions
• Lower repeat contact volumes

4. Enhanced Manual Lookup Capability

Internal systems were improved to allow agents to retrieve ticket details using unique identifiers.

Impact:

• Improved support for customers using third-party retailers
• Reduced reliance on customers providing ticket images
• Increased ability to resolve complex cases efficiently

5. Accessibility Enhancements

Enhancements were made to improve the accessibility of the Delay Repay portal, including:

• Improved usability and navigation
• Better compatibility with assistive technologies
• Simplified Claim submission process

Impact:

• Reduced barriers for customers with accessibility needs
• Improved overall customer experience and inclusivity

Future Improvements in Development

Further enhancements are planned to build on this progress.

1. Automation of Referred Claims

Automation is being introduced for claims referred to us by other train operators.

Expected impact:

• Approximately 70% of referred claims will be processed automatically
• Reduced manual workload
• Faster processing times for customers
• Improved end-to-end efficiency
• Increased automation levels

Planned delivery: June 2026

2. Smartcard Auto Compensation

Work is underway to enable automatic Delay Repay compensation for Smartcard users, based on journey and tap data.

Expected impact:

• Removal of the need for customers to submit claims
• Significant reduction in customer effort
• Step-change improvement in customer experience
• Increased automation levels

Planned delivery: September 2026

Overall Impact

The improvements delivered in Rail Year 2025–2026 have resulted in:

• 24% reduction in average processing time
• Increase in automation from 78% to 80%
• 2.5% reduction in complaint rate (volume adjusted)
• Improved first-time resolution of customer queries
• Reduced customer effort through digital enhancements
• Increased awareness and usage of the Delay Repay scheme

Conclusion

Rail Year 2025–2026 has seen strong progress in improving Delay Repay performance, with measurable gains in processing speed, automation, and customer experience.

The planned developments for Rail Year 2026–2027 will build on this momentum, with a clear focus on further automation and proactive compensation. These initiatives will continue to reduce customer effort, improve efficiency, and deliver a more seamless experience for customers.