A recent report has disclosed the locations that have paid the highest amounts in compensation for damages caused by road potholes. According to data acquired by Confused.com through Freedom of Information requests, UK councils received 144,230 claims for pothole damage between 2022 and 2025, resulting in a total payout exceeding £11 million, including £1.1 million in 2025 alone. During this period, a staggering 3.4 million potholes were reported across the UK, with 18% of them occurring in 2025.
Despite the substantial number of reported potholes, the success rate of compensation claims has significantly decreased. In 2025, only 19% of claims were approved by councils, down from 29% the previous year. Devon led in reported potholes between 2022 and 2025 with 210,754 cases, but only 15% of the damage claims were accepted. West Yorkshire reported 191,001 potholes with a mere 11% success rate in claims, while Northumberland and Greater London had 151,485 and 145,618 potholes reported respectively, with success rates of 51% and 36%.
Dumfries and Galloway reported 134,054 potholes, with a 44% claim approval rate. Greater London topped the list in total claims payouts, paying out £1,294,566 to drivers over the four-year period, followed by East Sussex, Glasgow, Highland Council, and Oxfordshire.
In 2025, UK councils managed to repair 990,840 potholes, with Greater London, West Yorkshire, and Devon being the top regions for pothole repairs. A survey of 2,000 motorists revealed that over half of drivers believe road conditions have worsened recently, with 22% encountering potholes daily and 41% encountering them several times a week. However, the process of recovering costs from pothole damage is viewed as challenging by many, with 18% finding the council claims process complicated and 36% calling for clearer procedures.
Confused.com has introduced a pothole reporting tool that provides local council data on reports, repairs, and compensation claims, guiding users to report issues or file claims. Matt Crole-Rees, a motoring expert at Confused.com, advises drivers to gather evidence of pothole damage and explore options for claiming through local councils or insurance companies. Reporting potholes not only expedites repairs but also safeguards other road users from potential harm.