Investigation reveals Suffolk and Norfolk councils’ pothole repair and compensation costs

A new investigation has revealed the amount that Suffolk and Norfolk county councils have spent on pothole repairs and compensation against them in the last three years.

The report on the findings by Accident Claims Advice via a Freedom of information request shows the Suffolk authority has spent more than £27 million on pothole and road repairs and paid more than £53,000 due to pothole damage claims.

Between October 2023 and January 2025, the local authority said it had spent £9,351,833 on pothole repairs alone.

Prior to that, it estimates £10.6 million was spent in 2022/23 as well as a further £6.96 million between April and September 2023.

Suffolk County Council said it currently has 1,374 potholes which need repairing.

The council had 1,400 legal claims lodged against it regarding potholes in the last three years, with the figure increasing from 181 claims in 2022 to 651 last year.

In 2024 the council settled a record number, handing out £27,482 in compensation, settling 91 pothole claims.

In Norfolk, the investigation found the authority had spent more than £5.6 million on repairs as well as £78,000 in compensation in that time.

The data shows the local authority had 1,275 legal claims lodged against it regarding potholes in the last three years, with the figure increasing from 228 claims in 2022 to 500 last year.

In 2023, the council settled a record number, giving £40,908 in compensation and settling 145 pothole claims.

As it stands, Norfolk Council Council confirmed it currently has 174 potholes needing repair.

Data from the Department for Transport says up to 82 per cent of the miles of local roads flagged as in need of maintenance were ignored by councils last year – the highest proportion since records began in 2009.