Three in Four UK Pothole Damage Claims Are Rejected, BBC Investigation Finds

A BBC investigation has found that roughly three in every four pothole-related vehicle damage claims submitted to UK councils are rejected, despite Britain’s roads being littered with an estimated one million potholes.

The Details

More than 146,000 pothole-related vehicle damage claims were submitted across Britain over the past five years, according to figures obtained by the BBC. Of the 147 local authorities that provided data, councils paid out an average of just 24% of claims, leaving the vast majority of drivers without compensation.

Across Britain, councils paid approximately £13.5 million in pothole damage claims during that five-year period. The low approval rate suggests that submitting a claim is far from a guarantee of recovery, even when vehicles suffer clear damage from road defects.

The scale of the problem is significant. The RAC says the UK is thought to have more than one million potholes, with around six potholes per mile on council-controlled roads in England and Wales. The Asphalt Industry Alliance estimated in March that fixing all potholes on local roads in England and Wales would cost £18.6 billion.

The Department for Transport told the BBC it is backing local councils with a record £7.3 billion to fix potholes, and reported that 15% more prevention works were carried out in 2025 than in 2024.

Context

Drivers in England and Wales can report potholes through their local council using the road postcode, according to GOV.UK. National Highways handles reports for motorways and certain major A roads in England. The government site also provides separate compensation guidance for injuries caused by roads or pavements.

Legal experts say the claims process is stacked against individual drivers. Solicitor Nadia Kerr told the BBC that drivers should quickly photograph both the vehicle damage and the pothole itself, record measurements, and formally report the defect. "You really need to know what you're doing and you need to find an expert in the field, because lots of people give up along the process," Kerr said.

Councils often defend claims by arguing they were not aware of the pothole. Kerr advised that reporting visible defects promptly reduces a council's ability to deny knowledge. "The best you can do as a road user is report the defects you can see," she said.

A spokesperson for Nottinghamshire County Council explained how claims are assessed: "If the council can evidence that it has adhered to its policy, the claim will be repudiated, however if it is found the council has not adhered to its policy and is found to be legally liable for the incident, then the claim will be settled."

What's Next

With the backlog of road repairs estimated at £18.6 billion and claim approval rates remaining low, drivers are likely to continue facing an uphill battle for compensation. The Department for Transport’s increased funding and prevention works may gradually improve road conditions, but the gap between reported defects and resolved claims shows no sign of narrowing quickly.