New analysis has shown the number of pothole compensation claims made to councils in Britain has soared by 90% in three years to reach 53,015 in 2024
Pothole claims have rocketed, according to the RAC (Image: Mikhail Yakovlev via Getty Images)
Pothole compensation claims submitted to councils across Britain have surged by 90% over three years, fresh analysis reveals. RAC research discovered 53,015 claims were lodged with 177 local authorities in 2024, compared with 27,731 claims in 2021.
Among councils providing data, Derbyshire County Council experienced the most dramatic rise in claims during this timeframe, jumping from 224 to 3,307. Glasgow City Council ranked second, witnessing its annual figure more than double from 1,140 to 2,794.
Oxfordshire County Council secured third place, with claims escalating from 488 in 2021 to 1,941 in 2024. The RAC branded the overall rise since 2021 as “concerning”, though highlighted that the 2024 figure marked a 6% drop from 56,655 in 2023.
The research also revealed that merely 26% of claims lodged last year resulted in compensation. Payouts averaged £390, while the RAC calculated a typical repair bill for a family car sustaining pothole damage beyond a puncture at £590.
Frequent vehicle issues triggered by potholes encompass damaged shock absorbers, fractured suspension springs and warped wheels. Local authorities for Gloucestershire, Worcestershire, Medway, Carmarthenshire and Telford all rejected 99% of claims received last year, according to data shared with the RAC. Some 177 out of 207 councils in Britain responded to Freedom of Information requests by the motoring services company.
Drivers are being paid an average of £390, according to the figures (Image: Joe Giddens/PA)
Simon Williams, RAC head of policy, said: “The massive three-year rise in pothole compensation claims made by drivers shows what a huge task it is to return the roads to a respectable standard. But it’s far from an even picture across the country, with just a handful of councils receiving the lion’s share of claims from beleaguered motorists.
“Drivers are still suffering the consequences of years of neglect of Britain’s local road network. And with some councils not responding to our request for data, there’s every chance that we’re only seeing the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the claims that have been settled. We’re now hopeful the dial will really begin to shift as highways authorities in England were this year given a record £1.6 billion by the Government for road maintenance.”
A Department for Transport spokeswoman said: “We’re investing £7.3 billion over the next four years to help councils resurface roads and fix the pothole plague, giving them certainty to plan ahead and deliver safer, smoother journeys. This will turn the tide on years of underinvestment in our road network, allowing local authorities to move away from expensive, short-term repairs and invest in proactive maintenance and prevent potholes from forming in the first place.”
Pothole damage can be severe (Image: Catherine Falls Commercial via Getty Images)
A spokesperson for the Local Government Association said that while councils have a statutory duty to maintain roads, “ever-increasing pressure on budgets has impacted their ability to do so as much as they’d like”.
He continued: “New funding for roads will help turn the tide on the gradual decline of local roads, but this will take time to shift from simply filling potholes reactively – which pothole compensation laws require – towards a more proactive, sustainable approach.”
Derbyshire County Council said that compensation claims it had handled since May 2025 had dropped by 72%, while Glasgow City Council noted it had witnessed a “substantial reduction” this year compared with 2024.
Oxfordshire County Council revealed that, since April 2024, it had pumped nearly £14.5 million into the “largest surface dressing programmes we have carried out for at least 20 years”.
Surface dressing is a preventative measure designed to stop potholes from developing in the first place. Medway Council stated it turned down claims when “it is considered that a court would not award compensation”.
