Potholes: How much is your council paying out

Scottish councils paid out more than £2m in pothole compensation over the past five years, a BBC investigation has found. Between 2020/21 and 2024/25, local authorities received more than 18,600 claims for pothole-related vehicle damage across Scotland, but only around a quarter received compensation. Drivers and mechanics told BBC Scotland that hitting a pothole can result in expensive repairs. Cosla, which represents Scotland's councils, said authority finances were under "intense pressure", adding that authorities were having to "juggle competing priorities". The Scottish government said it had provided "record funding" to local authorities as part of the 2026/27 Budget. Although not all pothole claims are paid out, Marie McCallum, a mobile hairdresser from Macduff, told BBC Scotland she successfully claimed compensation from Aberdeenshire Council when her car hit a pothole in 2024. "I was annoyed the pothole just ripped the tyre and there was no warning on the road," she said. "It happened on a bend and there was a lorry coming the opposite way so I had no choice but to go over it. It was a bit scary." Describing the compensation process, McCallum said: "I sent an email to the