Motorists who have secured compensation for pothole-related vehicle damage have received payments of up to £2,500, according to Money Saving Expert (MSE). com survey found. com data.
com data. In 2025, UK councils repaired 990,840 potholes, with Greater London (245,415), West Yorkshire (285,545), and Devon (221,818) among the top areas for repairs. com survey indicates.
Nearly one in five describe the council claims process as complicated, and more than a third believe the process should be clearer. Under the Highways Act 1980, the obligation to maintain roads and the liability to pay damages for failing to do so generally falls upon whoever controls the road, be it a public authority or a private landowner. Authorities can escape liability under Section 58 of the Highways Act if they can prove they took 'reasonable' care to ensure the highway was safe, such as by having a proper inspection and repair system in place.
You can only claim if the authority responsible for the road has been negligent, according to Daily Express - Finance. The specific evidence required to prove negligence by local authorities in pothole damage claims remains unclear, and it is unknown how many of the 144,230 claims between 2022 and 2025 were rejected or what the main reasons for rejection were.