Personal injury claims linked to Croydon Council were the most numerous in London over a three-year period, according to figures gathered through Freedom of Information requests.
The data, compiled by Personal Injury Solicitors London from council responses, recorded 1,023 claims concerning Croydon. Payments made to settle claims in the borough over the same period totalled £987,186.
Only seven of the Croydon claims came from council employees. The rest were made by members of the public, a pattern that was also seen in the wider London results.
What the London-wide figures show
Across the capital, 6,691 personal injury claims were recorded over the three years covered by the requests. The breakdown supplied with the figures put 5,839 claims from members of the public and 345 from council employees.
London councils paid out more than £19.5 million in compensation during the period. Public liability cases, workplace accidents and road accidents were listed as the most common types of claim across the 32 boroughs.
Claims of this kind usually follow an injury or a financial loss that a claimant links to a council failing to maintain a public space or service to a safe standard. Councils are responsible for the safety of roads, pavements, parks, council housing and public buildings used by residents and visitors.
How Croydon compares with other boroughs
Croydon had the highest number of claims, but it did not record the highest compensation bill. Ealing paid out £2,089,522 over the period, followed by Hillingdon at £2,075,697.
In south London, Bexley dealt with 207 personal injury claims, which led to compensation payments of £618,290. That is fewer claims and a lower total payout than Croydon, even though both boroughs paid out hundreds of thousands of pounds over the three years.
The comparison is not complete for every part of London. Bromley, Enfield, Newham, Southwark, Waltham Forest, Wandsworth and Westminster did not provide data for the exercise, so the ranking covers the councils that responded rather than a full picture for all 32 boroughs.
Solicitor Patrick Mallon, from the firm that compiled the figures, said too many accidents that could have been avoided had happened, and that even a straightforward slip, trip or fall could have a serious effect on a person’s life. He said residents relied on councils to help keep neighbourhoods safe, and he hoped publishing the figures would lead to more work on public and employee safety.
Why the number of claims and the payout total differ
A borough can receive a large number of claims without paying the largest amount in compensation. Individual payments depend on the circumstances of each case, including the severity of an injury, whether liability is accepted, and how a claim is resolved. A smaller number of higher-value cases can therefore produce a larger total than a higher number of lower-value cases.
That distinction is visible in the figures here. Croydon is at the top of the list for claim numbers, while the largest payout totals were recorded in Ealing and Hillingdon. The data also shows the cost to councils is not limited to one type of incident, with public spaces, workplaces and roads all featuring in the most common categories.
Reporting a hazard or making a claim
People who notice a damaged road or pavement in Croydon can report potholes and road damage to Croydon Council through its website, so the location can be inspected and recorded.
For highways incidents, Croydon Council’s highways insurance claims page explains how claims are considered. The council states that a person making a claim needs to show that the council was at fault, and that compensation is not automatic simply because an accident happened.
As general public information, it can help to note the exact location, date and time of an incident promptly, keep photographs where it is safe to take them, retain medical or expense records, and keep copies of any correspondence. Anyone unsure about liability, time limits or evidence should seek independent legal advice before making a claim.
Wider council context in Croydon
The claims figures arrive while Croydon residents are also being consulted on other council services. The borough has recently opened a consultation on council tax support, brought in new landlord licensing schemes and approved a four-year temporary accommodation strategy, each of which affects a different part of the council’s work with residents.
Personal Injury Solicitors London said the figures underlined the need for councils to focus on public and employee safety to reduce avoidable injuries and the costs that follow. The firm says it provides support and advice to people who have been injured or suffered damage through no fault of their own.
For Croydon, the key points in the release are the scale of claims relative to other responding boroughs and the total paid out. The borough recorded the most claims in London, while the highest compensation totals were elsewhere, and seven London councils were not included because they did not supply data.
