Pothole compensation claims submitted to 177 local authorities have increased by 91% in three years, rising from 27,731 in 2021 to 53,015 in 2024, according to analysis by the RAC.
The Freedom of Information request, issued to 207 councils across England, Scotland and Wales and covering 246,510 miles of local roads, showed that Derbyshire County Council reported the sharpest rise, with claims jumping from 224 in 2021 to 3,307 in 2024.
Glasgow City Council recorded an increase from 1,140 to 2,794, while Oxfordshire County Council saw claims rise from 488 to 1,941 over the same period.
Despite the three-year surge, the total number of claims fell slightly year-on-year, from 56,655 in 2023 to 53,015 in 2024, representing a 6% decrease.
Only a quarter of claims were settled in 2024. The 173 councils that provided settlement data paid 13,832 of the 53,015 claims submitted, with an estimated £3,564,824 paid out in total.
The average payout of £390 remains below the £590 average repair bill for pothole damage that goes beyond a puncture.
Merton Borough Council paid the highest average settlement, at £2,267 across the five claims it approved.
Derbyshire is estimated to have paid out the most overall, with £605,235 across 2,355 claims.
In Scotland, Glasgow paid an average of £253 per claim, while Wrexham paid the highest average in Wales, at £2,026 across 38 claims.
The data also showed the low likelihood of successful reimbursement. Of the 177 councils that provided figures for 2024, 172 rejected more than 90% of claims.
Gloucestershire, Worcestershire, Medway, Carmarthenshire and Telford each refused 99% of claims submitted. Bridgend was the only authority to approve all of its claims, with 52 accepted.
When assessed by network size, Glasgow received 2,794 claims against its 1,203-mile road network.
Staffordshire, Derbyshire, Edinburgh and Bury Metropolitan each received roughly one claim for every mile of road, while Surrey received 1,513 claims across 3,415 miles.
Simon Williams, head of policy at the RAC, said: “The massive three-year rise in pothole compensation claims made by drivers shows what a huge task it is returning 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 to Britain’s local road network. But even if you submit a compensation claim the odds aren’t good, with around 40,000 requests for reimbursement turned down in 2024 alone.
“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.
“But positively, councils received slightly fewer pothole compensation claims in 2024 than they did the year before.
“We’re now hopeful the dial will really begin to shift as highways authorities in England were this year given a record £1.6bn by the Government for road maintenance.
“And for the first time they’ve been required to show how much vital preventative maintenance they’ll be carrying out to stop potholes forming in the first place.
“On top of this, the Government has now announced multi-year settlements which will give councils the certainty they need to plan and deliver better maintenance programmes. This can only be a good thing.
“So, while the figures we’ve analysed are a cause for concern, we hope pothole compensation claims will begin to decline as local authorities increase the amount of preventative surface dressing work on their roads.”
