Councils have paid out £101m to staff in personal injury claims over the past five years, according to new figures.
The figures, published by MailOnline following a freedom of information request, found that local authorities paid out on 8,800 claims. Although thousand more claims were rejected, a council worker who spilled gooseberry crumble on herself did receive £2,680.
The website said rejected claims included one teacher demanding compensation after breaking a finger nail and one teacher who got hit in the eye by a snowball.
Speaking to MailOnline, campaign manager for the Taxpayers’ Alliance Andy Silvester, said:
‘The obscene bill attached to these compensation claims means one of two things; either councils are failing to provide a safe working environment, or they’re paying out too quickly on the most spurious of claims.
‘Taxpayers will be furious that when finances are tight, councils are finding the money to cough up compensation because a blundering employee conspired to spill crumble on themselves.’
The figures show Lancashire Council made the largest overall payments, awarding £6m after 254 successful claims. Hull paid out more than £2.6m, while Newham Councils paid out £3.6m, according to the figures.