Pothole compensation claims made to councils in Britain rose by 90% between 2021 and 2024, in response to evaluation by the RAC motoring group.
The research additionally discovered that solely 1 / 4 of claims made by motorists in 2024 resulted in payouts.
However, the RAC famous that the variety of claims fell in 2024 in contrast with the yr earlier than.
The Local Government Association (LGA) stated “ever-increasing pressure” on budgets was affecting councils’ skills to repair roads, whereas the Department for Transport stated the federal government was spending £7.3bn over the subsequent 4 years on enhancing highway surfaces.
Potholes have turn into a significant bugbear for a lot of drivers. Repair payments may be expensive, they usually also can trigger accidents to passengers, cyclists or pedestrians.
The RAC stated information it had analysed indicated that 53,015 compensation claims claims have been made to 177 native authorities in 2024.
That was up from 27,731 in 2021, though it marked a fall from the 56,655 seen in 2023.
In 2024, simply 26% of claims led to a payout, with a median sum of £390 given to claimants.
The RAC estimates {that a} typical restore invoice for a household automotive with harm worse than a puncture from a pothole is £590.
Potholes may cause harm to shock absorbers and suspension springs, and also can distort wheels.
RAC head of coverage Simon Williams advised the BBC: “It does seem that councils have a variety of different criteria for what they class as a pothole.
“Often they need to be 4 centimetres deep and so many centimetres broad.
“If you hit one, it can cause a real jolt to the car and serious damage… not just damage to vehicles, it’s also a serious road safety danger, particularly on two wheels.”
RAC requested 207 councils about pothole compensation claims. Of the 177 that responded, Derbyshire County Council noticed the largest enhance in claims over the three-year interval, from 224 to three,307.
However, Derbyshire councillor Charlotte Hill, the council’s cupboard member for potholes, highways and transport, stated claims had fallen by 72% since May 2025.
“Going forward, Derbyshire highways can become more proactive rather than reactive, and work to make repairs before they become an issue for residents,” she advised the BBC.
Glasgow City Council and Oxfordshire County Council noticed the subsequent largest will increase between 2021 and 2024.
In an announcement, Andrew Gant, Oxfordshire County Council’s cupboard member for transport administration, stated the emphasis “should be on maintenance work to prevent potholes forming in the first place, which is much more cost-effective than repairing them afterwards”.
“That is why we have invested nearly £14.5m since 2024 on the largest surface dressing programmes we have carried out for at least 20 years.”
Surface dressing is a preservation remedy aimed toward avoiding potholes forming.
The BBC has contacted Glasgow City Council for remark.
A Department for Transport spokesperson stated the federal government was investing £7.3bn over the subsequent 4 years to assist councils resurface roads.
“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,” they stated.
A Local Government Association spokesperson stated that “ever-increasing pressure on budgets has impacted their ability to do so as much as they’d like” relating to highway upkeep.
“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.”.
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