William Eichler 05 January 2026

Pothole payouts reveal postcode lottery for drivers

Pothole payouts reveal postcode lottery for drivers image
© David Michael Bellis / Shutterstock.com.

Motorists seeking compensation for pothole damage face wildly different outcomes depending on where they live, new figures reveal.

Across England, Wales and Scotland, councils have paid out more than £12m in compensation over the past three years — but only around a quarter of claims have been successful.

Between April 2021 and March 2024, drivers submitted around 129,000 claims for vehicle damage caused by potholes, according to figures highlighted by the Sunday Times.

Just 24% resulted in a payout, highlighting the difficulty many motorists face when pursuing compensation.

Check out: Pothole Claims: What Councils Need to Know

SIGN UP
For your free daily news bulletin
Highways jobs

Domestic Abuse Prevention Worker - Multi-Disciplinary Team

Essex County Council
£31931.0000 - £36423.0000 per annum
Domestic Abuse Prevention Worker - Multi-Disciplinary TeamFixed Term, Full Time£31,931 to £36,423 per annumLocation
Recuriter: Essex County Council

Domestic Abuse Prevention Worker - Multi-Disciplinary Team

Essex County Council
£31931.0000 - £36423.0000 per annum
Domestic Abuse Prevention Worker - Multi-Disciplinary TeamFixed Term, Full Time£31,931 to £36,423 per annumLocation
Recuriter: Essex County Council

Family Worker (Link Role) - 2 year FTC

Essex County Council
£31931.00 - £36423.00 per annum + + 26 Days Leave & Local Gov Pension
Family Worker (Link Role)Fixed Term, Full Time£31,931 to £36,423 per annumLocation
Recuriter: Essex County Council

Domestic Abuse Support Worker - Multi-Disciplinary Team

Essex County Council
£31931.0000 - £36423.0000 per annum
Domestic Abuse Support Worker - Multi-Disciplinary TeamFixed Term, Full Time£31,931 to £36,423 per annumLocation
Recuriter: Essex County Council

Community Support Worker - Colchester Central Neighbourhood

Essex County Council
£25395.00 - £32131.00 per annum + + 26 Days Leave & Local Gov Pension
Community Support Worker - Colchester Central NeighbourhoodPermanent, Full Time£25,395 to £32,131 per annumLocation
Recuriter: Essex County Council
Linkedin Banner