Rail firm c2c adds missing people charity as "Delay Repay" beneficiary

EAST London and South Essex rail firm c2c Trenitalia has extended its partnership with charity Missing People

East London and South Essex rail firm c2c Trenitalia has extended its partnership with charity Missing People, adding the option for customers to donate ‘Delay Repay’ compensation to the organisation.

The new functionality is available through c2c’s existing Delay Repay system, with Missing People now an option to donate their compensation directly to the charity.

One of the most punctual operators in the country, in 2018 c2c was the first rail firm to introduce Delay Repay compensation for customers delayed by as little as 15 minutes – improving on the previous threshold of 30 minutes – with customers eligible for 25% of the cost of a single journey.

The addition of Missing People as a refund option is designed to provide the charity with additional donations, supported by customers who may not typically claim smaller amounts of the compensation they are due if they experience a brief delay.

c2c was also the first rail operator to partner with the charity in supporting their Prevention campaign helping to increase the exposure and signpost individuals to the helpline via ticket machine imagery. This provided Missing People with a greater chance of reuniting more missing people with their families and preventing further disappearances.

Missing People and c2c first joined forces in December 2022 when the train firm joined the charity’s ‘Safeguarding Briefing Network’ – with staff acting as additional eyes and ears at c2c’s 26 stations on our 45-mile route across East London and South Essex, helping to reunite missing people with their loved ones.

The SBN is a network of organisations that Missing People can send missing person briefings to when there is reason to believe that staff there may come into contact with the person.

Missing People’s SBN: c2c’s partnership to-date in numbers:

The number of SBN briefings sent over to c2c Rail in Year One – 370

The Number of families in the c2c Rail region supported by Missing People in Year One – 125

Estimated No. of Children, Young People and adults who contacted our helpline in the c2c Rail region in Year One – 539

The No. of TextSafe messages sent to people missing in the c2c Rail region in Year One – 427

Jo Youle, Chief Executive Officer of Missing People, said:

“When the charity launched its inaugural Prevention Campaign over a year ago, our aspiration was that fewer families would have to confront the anguish of not knowing the whereabouts of their loved ones.

“c2c became the pioneering rail network to champion this cause by incorporating our branding and helpline number – 116 000 – on ticket machines.

“We are delighted to report that the number of individuals and children in crisis that reached out has surpassed our expectations. We express gratitude for impactful partnerships like the one with c2c. Additionally, we are thrilled to be included in the Delay Repay system, enabling customers to contribute to our cause.”

Iain Palmer, c2c’s Head of Revenue Protection and Security, said:

“I look back over this past year with huge pride, especially at the impact that partnerships such as these can have on the families and friends of missing people, alongside the missing person as well.

“Being part of their Safeguarding Briefing Network and knowing that nearly 400 people have contacted the Missing People helpline with links across our relatively small route, shows the scale of the issue.

“Collectively, we need to carry on this great work, and even if we help just one person, that is so powerful.

“Not all of our customers claim the delay repay they are entitled to, especially when relatively low refunds are due, but these can really add up and provide vital support for Missing People; your efforts really can make a difference”.

“It’s been such a pleasure to work with the team over the last year; I’m really proud that we’ve been able to play a small role in reuniting people with their loved ones,” he added.

How to donate ‘Delay Repay’ compensation to Missing People

If your journey has been delayed by 15 minutes or more then you will be entitled to receive ‘Delay Repay’ compensation. You can do this by logging a claim on the c2c website.

The amount of compensation customers are entitled to receive is dependent on the length of the delay.

When logging a compensation claim, customers will be asked to provide their name and contact information, full details of the delayed journey and a picture of the ticket/proof of purchase.

Once this information has been provided the customer will be asked how they would like to receive their Delay Repay compensation – original payment method (debit/credit card), e-voucher etc – and it is here where they can select that any monies due are transferred directly to Missing People.