Areas in the UK that have made the highest payouts in compensation for pothole damage have been disclosed. According to data acquired by Confused.com via Freedom of Information requests, there were 144,230 claims for pothole-related damages made to councils between 2022 and 2025, resulting in total payouts exceeding £11 million, including £1.1 million in 2025 alone. The country witnessed the reporting of over 3.4 million potholes in the past four years, with 18% of these reported in 2025 alone.
Despite the substantial number of claims, the data indicates a decreasing trend in successful compensation outcomes. In 2025, only 19% of claims were successful, marking a significant decline from the previous year’s 29% success rate.
Devon emerged as the area with the highest pothole reports, totaling 210,754 between 2022 and 2025; however, only 15% of damage claims were approved. Similarly, West Yorkshire and Northumberland reported 191,001 and 151,485 potholes, respectively, with success rates of 11% and 51% for claims. Greater London reported 145,618 potholes, with a 36% success rate for claims.
Dumfries and Galloway reported 134,054 potholes, with a 44% claim approval rate. Greater London led in total claims payouts, with £1,294,566 disbursed to drivers over the four years, followed by East Sussex with £642,338, and Glasgow with £606,492.
In 2025, UK councils repaired 990,840 potholes, with Greater London, West Yorkshire, and Devon being prominent in pothole repairs. West Yorkshire fixed 285,545 potholes, Greater London repaired 245,415, and Devon completed 221,818 repairs.
A survey of 2,000 motorists revealed that over half perceive road conditions to have worsened compared to previous years, with 22% encountering potholes daily. Furthermore, 41% of drivers come across potholes several times a week. However, the process of claiming compensation for pothole damages remains challenging, with 18% finding the council claims process complicated.
Confused.com introduced a pothole reporting tool to assist drivers in accessing local council pothole data, reporting road damage, and making claims efficiently. Matt Crole-Rees, a motoring expert at Confused.com, emphasized the importance of reporting potholes promptly to facilitate quicker repairs and safeguard other road users from potential damage.