01/04/2025 - 26/04/2025	27/04/2025 - 24/05/2025	25/05/2025 - 21/06/2025
Volume of claims received within period	1901	1112	1374
Volume of claims closed within period	1398	1281	1592
Volume of claims approved within period	659	603	554
% closed within 20 working days	98%	99%	99%
Average time to close within period (working days)	4.52	6.64	4.77
Delay Compensation Paid	£29,199	£27,886	£32,939

 

Delay Compensation Continuous Improvement Report 2024 / 2025

 

2024 / 2025 saw a much improved fleet reliability than 2023 / 2024 overall, which was as a result of the significant work our fleet team did to improve the resilience of the units. Which also included the lease of three additional trains, one on a short term lease and two with extended leases into 2025 to support the ongoing fleet resilience. We experienced fleet issues throughout the year and like other TOCs we also had significant network disruption from things such as trespassers or vandalism, as well as being impacted by the ongoing Industrial action despite not being a part of it.

We not only reviewed processes but also resource and in early 2024 / 2025 we increased the resource for the team. We also implemented a new operating window to support passengers in both taking calls and claim handling.

From supporting customer approximately 35% of the times our trains were running, we increased this to 67% of the time by opening from 07:00 – 19:00 Mon-Fri and from 09:00 – 12:30 Sat-Sun. 

In 2024 / 2025 we worked both with our internal team and third party provider support to ensure we worked rigorously to meet ORR requirements for passengers. We also worked to improve communications on the website following on for the claim form updates in 2023 / 2024, to build on ensuring the information was accessible for all.

 

• An overall improvement of the average % of cases closed within 20 working days from 94.57% in 2023 to 99.35% in 2024 / 2025.

 

• Almost 5% improvement on performance in meeting regulatory requirements in the periods of 2024 / 2025.

 

A respectful return on these investments gave an improved case resolution leading to a better customer experience for passengers. It allowed us to ensure almost all claimants received a resolution to their delay claims within the 20 working days SLA requirement.

We are continuing to work closely with our supplier in 2024 / 2025 to develop and implement a brand new automated system for our passengers, making claiming easier than ever before.

The system has for the first time for Grand Central customers given them more insight and control to their claims than ever before. It provides and automated review system to analysis and validate the claim, as well as calculating the compensation owed.

For the third successive year we have been able to reduce the average processing time for the claims:

Average time to close 3.22 days 2023 -2024

Average time to close 2.71 days 2024 - 2025 

 On the launch of the new system at the end of 2024 / 2025, we ensured our website was fully updated with simple, user friendly updates for passengers to make them aware of what had change and how it would be of benefit to the customer.

We also reached out to National Rail Enquiries and other retailers to update any links they held on to their platforms or shared with our mutual customers, to ensure that they were aware of the change and that passengers were being given the correct information.

Our Customer Relations Team are trained to support passengers in submitting claims, should they have any accessibility needs. Equally they are also trained to provide email and telephone support and guidance to allow a passenger to self-serve when submitting claims.

Our operational teams onboard, social media and telesales were also briefed on the changes. It was key for us that our staff felt confident in sharing that a new system was in place, especially at times of disruption as it is crucial our passengers are aware of what they are entitled to and how to claim.

Accessibility to claim is a vital aspect of the scheme and we ensure that passengers always have several avenues to make the claim; webform via our website with links easily accessed from NRE and other TOC websites, postal claims and forms can be accessed either online or at any of the manned stations we service, over the phone through our Customer Relations Team.

We recognised from passenger feedback in 2023 / 2024, that they felt an automated system such as those being used by other TOCS would be an advantage to them in being able to resolve the issue sooner. The implementation of the automated system Delay Check allowed us to fulfil customer expectation and bring us in line with other TOCs.

Having gone through an extensive procurement process to further invest in our compensation to meet our business and customer needs, the development and build of the system started in early 2024 and the system launch in Autumn 2024.

We continue to work with the developers as part of our continuous improvement programme with them, as we had hoped the system would resolve approximately 60 - 70% of cases directly with the customers through the automation. Meaning the remaining 30 - 40% of claims would have human intervention to ensure the right decisions are being made for the benefit of the Passenger and the Business.

The actual automation is a reversal of these figures, and 30-40% is automated. Whilst we are aiming to keep the impact to the customer at a minimum, we endeavour to ensure the collaboration between us and our service provider means that we can look at ways to develop the system and improve the customer experience. Ways we have done this so far:

• Exploring Lennon integration to improve automation
• Simplifying the webform, making it more user-friendly with accessible language to avoid confusion
• Review of the automated emails to ensure clarity of information as well as simplifying requests for additional information to speed up the validation

 

We are also completing a review of our website and are launching a new, streamlined website in June 2025 ensuring the contents will be less complex.

Our focus was to ensure the pages remain easily accessible, within no more than three clicks for passengers to access information about claiming (two clicks) or being able to complete the webform (three clicks). All information can be accessed directly from the home page under the help option. We will continued to review and adapt the wording on our website, working on customer feedback for service improvements when they have raised suggestions or for any required changes to meet passenger needs.

To assist our onboard team in providing support to passengers in times of delays, we have re-issued an operation notice to our onboard team every six months in 2024. The noticed explained when passengers could claim Charter Compensation, the various methods to claim, what customers are entitled to in times of delay and the difference between a claim and a ticket refund. This educated our staff to assist in increasing passenger awareness of the claims process.

We also have a review with new starters to explain the process, and how they can support passengers as part of their onboarding process.

We are continuing to work closely with our suppliers and operational teams in 2025 to further improve passenger support, with special attention to the automated system, and our continuing goal of making claiming easier than ever before.