If the last train of the night is cancelled, or you miss it because your connecting train was delayed, the train company has an obligation to get you home.

Under section 43 of the National Rail's Conditions of Carriage, the train company must 'either arrange to get you to that destination, or provide overnight accommodation for you'.

That's good for future reference, but don't despair if it has happened to you already.

It may be that you didn't know the rules, or that when you arrived at the station there were no staff around to help you.

You can still claim a refund, though. To get one, you'll need to file an expenses claim on a form usually found on the rail company's website. Or you can pick one up at a ticket office. Attach copies of any receipts and include a brief description of why you are claiming.

On the form, remind the company it is obliged to assist you in the event of a cancellation as outlined in National Rail's Conditions of Carriage section 43.

There is no law setting out when you are entitled to compensation if your train is delayed. Train companies are private firms and each decides how long you must be delayed before it will pay out.

National Rail — which oversees all train lines — says customers must be able to claim compensation if they arrive more than an hour late.

But it also says that Grand Central, Great Western Railway and South West Trains are the only companies that stick to this 60-minute rule.

If you are travelling with any other train company, such as Virgin or Great Northern, you can claim compensation if you are delayed over 30 minutes.

To claim, you need to submit a form online or in the post. Most firms do this through a Delay Repay compensation scheme.

Keep hold of all your receipts and make a note of the time you arrived at your destination.

If you don't have it any more — as most likely it was gobbled by a machine at a ticket barrier — you should be able to use your receipt or credit card statement.