Compensation Claims Against The Council

Updated: December 8, 2025

Reviewed by: Claire Jenkins

Updated: December 8, 2025

Reviewed by: Claire Jenkins

Slips, Trips and Falls Lawyer

Clare is a Slips, Trips and Falls Lawyer from one of our panel law firms.

Can you claim compensation from the council? 

Your local authority has the responsibility to take all reasonable steps to make council property safe. Council property includes council buildings; like schools and parks, council-owned homes, roads, pavements, and street lighting.

If you suffered an injury on council property due to their failure to fulfil their duty of care, The Compensation Experts can guide you through the process of making a claim against the council.

What is a compensation claim against the council? 

Claims against the council for personal injury can include:

• • Damage sustained from a pothole that is more than one inch (2.5 centimetres) deep. Instances can include tripping in the pothole while walking, cycling into the pothole and being hurt in a resulting crash, or a pothole causing a car accident in which you are injured, or your car damaged.

• • Injuries sustained while tripping on uneven paving or pavement where a stone is sticking up by at least one inch.

• • Being injured at work if you are a council employee, including through not being provided with adequate protective equipment or training

• • You or your child being hurt by faulty or poorly maintained playground equipment.

What can you claim council compensation payouts for?

If you’ve experienced an accident or damages, as a result of the council’s negligence, you could make a compensation claim against the local council for:

• • Physical injury

• • The long-term effects your injury will have on your life

• • Loss of income while incapacitated due to your injuries

• • The cost of medical treatment

• • In some cases, psychological damage

If you’re not sure whether you have a valid claim against the council, our experts can tell you whether you’re eligible for compensation. Simply call us on 0800 182 2188 or request a callback.

What do you need to prove when making a claim against the council? 

As with most personal injury claims, the responsibility lies with you (the claimant) to work with your lawyer in proving your case. We work with leading solicitors around the country, and will match you with a solicitor who has been successful making claims against the council for personal injury.

Your legal team will collect the evidence to demonstrate that you were harmed and the extent of damages your injury has caused. Finally, and most importantly, they will prove that your accident could have been avoided if the council had not been negligent.

Once your lawyer has compiled your claim, they will submit it to the council’s legal department, who has 21 days to acknowledge. They may accept liability right away; in which case your lawyer will negotiate until they reach a fair compensation amount you are happy with. Alternatively, they may deny responsibility for your injury. In this instance, your lawyer will continue to argue on your behalf, possibly submitting new evidence, until an agreement is reached.

How much does it cost to make a claim against the council? 

We work with many partner law firms who will handle your case on a No Win No Fee basis*. Also known as a Conditional Fee Agreement, this means that you won’t pay a penny in legal fees, unless your case is successful.

*Typically, customers pay 25% including VAT of the compensation amount that is recovered by our third-party law firms, although this is subject to your individual circumstances and the actual fee may be more or less than this. Termination fees may apply if you do not keep to the terms of the agreement.

How to make a claim against the council 

Whether you are a resident in their borough or not, local authorities have a duty of care to take reasonable steps to ensure the area is safe.

Council compensation payouts start by talking to an advisor at The Compensation Experts who will answer your questions, advise if and how you can make a claim, and give you the legal information you need to make informed choices. This initial consultation is free, and there is no obligation on your behalf.

If you are likely to have a valid claim, we will connect you with a solicitor who is experienced in making successful claims against the council, so that you can recover the compensation you deserve.

To start your claim, get in touch with The Compensation Experts today and let us help you. You can call directly or, if you prefer, fill in our online contact form and ask us to call you at a more suitable time.

Frequently asked questions on claims against the council

What is the average council compensation payout? 

When making a claim for compensation, the value of your claim will depend on a range of factors, including the type and severity of your injury, any losses you’ve suffered, and whether you are partly liable for your injuries.

Although it’s not always possible to give an exact compensation figure, below are some examples of the compensation you might receive for a claim against the council, taken from the Judicial College Guidelines – 17^th edition.

For knee injuries, you could make a claim against the council for between £2,750-117,410, depending on the severity of your injury. Soft tissue injuries and strains are likely to attract a payout towards the bottom of the bracket.

If you’ve tripped and injured your back, you could claim between £2,990 and £15,260 for minor back injuries such as minor strains and sprains. Severe back injuries, including cases where there is spinal cord damage, might see a compensation settlement of up to £196,450.

For a head injury claim, compensation settlements can range from £2,690 for minor injuries, up to £493,000 for very serious head injuries involving significant brain damage.

For an estimate of how much you could claim against the council, visit our Compensation Calculator, or get in touch with our friendly team.

How long will it take to claim against the council for personal injury? 

The timeframe for settling a compensation claim against the local council will depend on the type of accident you’ve suffered. Having supported hundreds of people with personal injury claims, we would expect slip, trip and fall claims to take around nine months to be resolved; however, some will take longer to settle.

In general, the clearer the evidence, the less time it’ll take to recover the compensation you deserve.