IF your train or flight has been cancelled or delayed due to snow, you could be entitled to compensation.

Millions are being hit by snow and cold weather as the temperatures plummet across the UK.

If your train or plane journey has been interrupted by the freezing conditions, you may be entitled to some money back.

Your rights differ depending on what method of transport you're using to travel with and where you bought your ticket – but here's how to find out if you're owed compensation.

Whether you've already booked your tickets or you've been left stranded partway through your journey due to the snow, you need to know your rights.

Train delays

You may be able to get compensation for train journeys that have been delayed or cancelled by severe weather, but you'll need to apply as you won't get it automatically.

Delay repay

All train companies have adopted "delay repay", a national scheme used to compensate you for unexpected delays – and sometimes this includes bad weather.

Passengers are entitled to compensation each for any delay of 15 minutes or more.

How much you get back depends on how long the delays are and the type of ticket you have.

Compensation ranges from 25% of the ticket price to 100%. You’ll get a full refund if your train was delayed by 120 minutes or longer.

It doesn't matter which train company you are travelling with – the scheme is nationwide and all firms are part of it.

But how you claim the money back will be up to the train line, and you'll have to apply to them directly. You can usually do this online.

You'll probably need a picture of your ticket and information about the train service you were on to claim.

You need to apply to the train company directly, each has its own system but you can usually do this online, or you can fill in a form and send in your ticket with it.

Refunds

You can get your money back if your train is cancelled or delayed – but only if you choose not to travel at all.

All ticket types are refundable if you do not travel due to disruption, according to the Office of Rail and Road.

If you are not happy about a train company then you can make a complaint.

You need to make a complaint to the train company directly, and you can do this online, by email or over the phone.

You'll need to provide information about the issue and your journey, such as departure station, date, time and ticket type.

You should get a response within 20 days.

If you're not happy with this you can ask them to look at it again and they will need to respond within 40 days.

If you still haven't resolved the problem you can escalate the issue to the Rail Ombudsman.

Flight delays

Cancellations

When a flight is due to depart from an EU airport, regardless of the airline, or where an EU airline is due to land at an EU airport you are covered by EU flight delay and cancellation rules.

When your flight is cancelled, you're entitled to an alternative flight or a full refund – including a refund for the return leg.

If you opt for an alternative flight, it’s up to you whether to fly as soon as possible after the cancelled flight or at a later date.

If you opt for a later flight, you may also be entitled to care and assistance.

This usually means food, drink, access to communication – for example this could be by refunding the reasonable cost of phone calls – and accommodation if you have to stay overnight.

Your airline may give you a voucher for this to use in the airport.

If you're unable to contact your airline, you may need to pay for accommodation yourself, you can claim the cash later, just make sure you keep the receipts.

If you were due to travel outside the EU, contact your airline as what you're entitled to will vary.

Delays

If your flight has been delayed for more than five hours and it's an EU flight, then you are entitled to a refund if you no longer wish to travel.

You will also get a refund for any unused parts of your booking – for example the return flight – and a flight back to your departure airport if you’ve already completed part of your journey.

If you opt for this, just keep in mind that you'll generally no longer be entitled to any further care and assistance.

Compensation

Generally, you don't have a right to claim additional compensation if the cause of the delay or cancellation is bad weather.

But there are a few cases where you may wish to pursue a claim.

For example, if you are told you can't fly due to heavy snow, but other flights are departing, then you may want to raise this with the airline.

The airline doesn't have to compensate you if you're told about a delay or cancellation at least two weeks in advance.

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