Council defends low level of payouts for pothole damage

AVERAGE COMPENSATION IN KENT IS LESS THAN HALF THE NATIONAL RATE

- By SIMON FINLAY

PAYOUTS for cars damaged by potholes in Kent fall far short of the national average, new analysis has found.

Potholes can cause burst tyres, damaged shock absorbers, and wheel distortion that can prove costly at the garage, and many drivers try to claim compensation from their local councils - but according to data from the RAC, based on council statistics, only a small proportion of claims lodged in Kent were processed.

The RAC said its survey of 2024 shows the national average compensation received for claims for pothole damage was £390 - less than a typical repair bill - with 26 per cent of claims settled.

However, official figures show that, between 2022 and 2025, Kent County Council - which is responsible for the upkeep of the county's highways, apart from in Medway - paid out an average of £192, less than half the national average, on just 8.5 per cent of the total claims made.

Last year a survey by drivers' charity IAM RoadSmart found that, of 1,855 members consulted, 26 per cent had paid up to £200 for pothole related car repairs, and 24 per cent had spent between £300 and £600.

An RAC survey of English councils found that the number of pothole compensation claims rocketed nationally by 90 per cent in the three years to 2024 - from a total of 27,000 to 53,000, while in Kent the numbers rose from 651 in 2022 to 1,239 in 2024.

Reform UK took over the administration of Kent County Council in May of last year, and has made pothole repairs an official priority.