Planning rows with neighbours, living conditions and children’s services are just some of the reasons residents are frustrated with their local councils.

Recent cuts to council budgets have resulted in a squeeze on the services they provide. Sectors such as Children and Education Services, Housing and Benefits have been affected but some councils are weathering the storm better than others.

To gain a true understanding of council performance, Legal Expert investigated the number of complaints lodged against each Metropolitan Council in the UK.

How Legal Expert Can Help

The team at Legal Expert offer free advice and support in relation to injuries resulting from council-caused incidents. For example, a trip and fall over a pothole or injuries caused by the disrepair of a council house.

You can learn more about council compensation claims here, or contact us to get free advice.

How We Conducted Our Research Into Council Satisfaction

We sent Freedom of Information Requests to the Government and Social Care Ombudsman asking for the number of complaints that have be lodged against every UK Metropolitan Council in the last financial year (between April 6 – April 5 2023/24).

The Ombudsman is the final stage for complaints about councils, if residents are not happy with the outcome of the initial process.

We also asked what service the complaints pertained to for example, Housing or Environmental Services.

Lastly, we asked how the complaints were dealt with. For instance, how many were upheld, how many were closed after initial enquiries and how many were not referred back for local resolution.

Discover The Results Of Our Research Into Complaints Against Local Councils

The total number of complaints lodged against Metropolitan Councils was 3,231 in the last financial year alone. That equates to around 9 every day.

Out of 32 UK Metropolitan Councils, Birmingham City Council had the most complaints, according to the Ombudsman figures.

The most complained about services nation-wide was Education and Children’s Services which had a total of 841 across all Metropolitan Councils.

National Outlook

The Ombudsman is the final stage of complaints about councils if residents are not happy with the outcome of complaining directly to their local authority. 

Birmingham City Council was revealed as the most complained about Metropolitan Local Authority in England by far, with 494 complaints made to the Ombudsman last year – equating to more than one a day.

Coming in second was Leeds City Council which had 211 complaints, followed by Manchester City Council with 163.

In its latest report, July 24, the Ombudsman criticised councils in England for ‘failing to deliver improvements on time.’

Ms Amerdeep Somal, Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman, said: “What we’re seeing in the majority of cases isn’t a lack of care or an inability to take responsibility for what has gone wrong, but a sector struggling to cope.”

The most complained about sector across the 36 Metropolitan Councils was Education and Children’s Services which could include children’s social services or school’s actions, such as bullying, policy changes, or failure to support children with special educational needs. 

Some 841 such complaints were made to the Ombudsman, the most being for Birmingham City Council, which had 85, followed by Leeds City Council which had 70.

Adult and Social Care had the second highest complaint figures, which could include poor-quality care, fees and charging disputes, delays, assessments of need or safety and safeguarding issues. 

A total of 510 such complaints were assessed by the Ombudsman, with 42 relating to Birmingham City Council. Bradford and Leeds Council logged a further 28 complaints each and Sheffield Council had 26.

Other common grievances included: Environmental Services (52), Housing (42). Corporate Services (25) and Highways and Transport (23).

Of these complaints, 390 were upheld and another 876 were referred back to the council for local resolution. 

The Ombudsman provided advice in 157 cases, while 1,301 complaints were closed after initial enquiries, meaning there was no case for the council to answer. 

A further 108 complaints were not upheld.

Ombudsman Ms Somal added: “Councils want to comply with our recommendations, accept responsibility when things go wrong, and provide good services to residents, and our 99.5% compliance rate indicates this is the case. But all too often resources and finances prevent them from doing so as swiftly as they should.”

Birmingham City Council

Birmingham City Council was subject to 510 complaints to the Ombudsman, that’s more one a day.

The most common complaint related to housing, which could include poor living conditions. Some 127 (25%) of complaints assessed by the complaints body pertained to housing. 

The second most common issue plaguing Birmingham City residents were in Education and Children’s Services which had 85 complaints.

Other common reasons were; Highways and Transport (84), Environmental Services, Public Protection and Regulation (66), and Benefits and Tax (59). 

Of these complaints, 71 were upheld and another 145 ‘referred back for local resolution’, while ;advice’ was given in 19 other cases.

Some 176 were ‘closed after initial enquiries,’ meaning there was no case for the council to answer while another 14 were not upheld. 

Leeds City Council

Leeds City Council has received some of the highest number of complaints out of all Metropolitan Councils in the UK. 

The majority of complaints lodged against the council were regarding Education and Children’s Services.

Leeds City Council was subject to 211 complaints to the Ombudsman in the last year.

The most common complaint related to Education and Children’s Services, which could include children’s social services or school’s actions, such as bullying, policy changes, or failure to support children with special educational needs. 

A total of 70 such complaints were assessed by the Ombudsman, accounting for 33% of all complaints lodged against the council in 2023/24.

The second most common issue plaguing Leeds City residents was housing which had 37 complaints.

Other common reasons were: Adult and Social Care (28), Environmental Services (28), Planning and Development (17) and Highways and Transport (11).

Of these complaints, 42 were upheld and another 37 ‘referred back for local resolution’, while ‘advice’ was given in 19 other cases.

Some 67 were ‘closed after initial enquiries,’ meaning there was no case for the council to answer, while another 9 were not upheld.

Elsewhere in West Yorkshire, 132 complaints were made about Bradford City Council. The most common issue being Education and Children’s Services. 

Some 96 complaints were also lodged against Kirklees Council, with Adult Social Care being the primary concern. 

A further 86 were made for Calderdale Council as well as 61 for Wakefield. Education and Children’s Service was the most complained about sector for both. 

Manchester City Council

Complaints by Sector

Adult and Social Care | 18

Benefits and Tax | 16

Corporate and Other Services | 5

Education and Children’s Services | 36

Environmental Services, Public Protection and Regulation | 28

Highways and Transport | 29

Housing | 23

Planning and Development | 7

Other | 1

Total No. of complaints: 163

Sheffield City Council

Complaints by Sector

Adult and Social Care | 26

Benefits and Tax | 15

Corporate and Other Services | 6

Education and Children’s Services | 21

Environmental Services, Public Protection and Regulation | 9

Highways and Transport | 20

Housing | 38

Planning and Development | 11

Other | 3

Total No. of complaints: 149

Bradford City Council

Complaints by Sector

Adult and Social Care | 28

Benefits and Tax | 12

Corporate and Other Services | 1

Education and Children’s Services | 36

Environmental Services, Public Protection and Regulation | 5

Highways and Transport | 27

Housing | 3

Planning and Development | 20

Other | 0

Total No. of complaints: 132

Liverpool City Council

Complaints by Sector

Adult and Social Care | 16

Benefits and Tax | 13

Corporate and Other Services | 9

Education and Children’s Services | 32

Environmental Services, Public Protection and Regulation | 14

Highways and Transport | 15

Housing | 14

Planning and Development | 6

Other | 1

Total No. of complaints:120

Kirklees Metropolitan Borough Council

Complaints by Sector

Adult and Social Care | 18

Benefits and Tax | 6

Corporate and Other Services | 5

Education and Children’s Services | 17

Environmental Services, Public Protection and Regulation | 15

Highways and Transport | 4

Housing | 14

Planning and Development | 17

Other | 0

Total No. of complaints: 96

Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council

Complaints by Sector

Adult and Social Care | 21

Benefits and Tax | 9

Corporate and Other Services | 5

Education and Children’s Services | 19

Environmental Services, Public Protection and Regulation | 8

Highways and Transport | 5

Housing | 25

Planning and Development | 3

Other | 0

Total No. of complaints: 95

Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council

Complaints by Sector

Adult and Social Care | 9

Benefits and Tax | 9

Corporate and Other Services | 4

Education and Children’s Services | 23

Environmental Services, Public Protection and Regulation | 8

Highways and Transport | 1

Housing | 28

Planning and 10 Development |

Other | 0

Total No. of complaints: 92

Calderdale Metropolitan Borough Council

Complaints by Sector

Adult and Social Care | 13

Benefits and Tax | 9

Corporate and Other Services | 4

Education and Children’s Services | 20

Environmental Services, Public Protection and Regulation | 11

Highways and Transport | 10

Housing | 7

Planning and Development | 12

Other | 0

Total No. of complaints: 86

Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council

Complaints by Sector

Adult and Social Care | 14

Benefits and Tax | 6

Corporate and Other Services | 2

Education and Children’s Services | 38

Environmental Services, Public Protection and Regulation | 6

Highways and Transport | 3

Housing | 5

Planning and Development | 8

Other | 0

Total No. of complaints: 82

Bury Metropolitan Borough Council

Complaints by Sector

Adult and Social Care | 4

Benefits and Tax | 8

Corporate and Other Services | 7

Education and Children’s Services | 35

Environmental Services, Public Protection and Regulation | 6

Highways and Transport | 9

Housing | 6

Planning and Development | 4

Other | 1

Total No. of complaints: 80

Coventry City Council

Complaints by Sector

Adult and Social Care | 10

Benefits and Tax | 9

Corporate and Other Services | 6

Education and Children’s Services | 23

Environmental Services, Public Protection and Regulation | 5

Highways and Transport | 6

Housing | 14

Planning and Development | 4

Other | 2

Total No. of complaints: 79

Salford City Council

Complaints by Sector

Adult and Social Care | 13

Benefits and Tax | 17

Corporate and Other Services | 2

Education and Children’s Services | 22

Environmental Services, Public Protection and Regulation | 5

Highways and Transport | 6

Housing | 12

Planning and Development | 1

Other | 0

Total No. of complaints: 78

Gateshead Metropolitan Borough Council

Complaints by Sector

Adult and Social Care | 12

Benefits and Tax | 2

Corporate and Other Services | 4

Education and Children’s Services | 16

Environmental Services, Public Protection and Regulation | 10

Highways and Transport | 4

Housing | 23

Planning and Development | 2

Other | 1

Total No. of complaints: 74

Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council

Complaints by Sector

Adult and Social Care | 16

Benefits and Tax | 1

Corporate and Other Services | 4

Education and Children’s Services | 22

Environmental Services, Public Protection and Regulation | 8

Highways and Transport | 6

Housing | 1

Planning and Development | 13

Other | 2

Total No. of complaints: 73

South Tyneside Metropolitan Borough Council

Complaints by Sector

Adult and Social Care | 11

Benefits and Tax | 1

Corporate and Other Services | 11

Education and Children’s Services | 13

Environmental Services, Public Protection and Regulation | 18

Highways and Transport | 6

Housing | 6

Planning and Development | 5

Other | 1

Total No. of complaints: 72

Trafford Metropolitan Borough Council

Complaints by Sector

Adult and Social Care | 15

Benefits and Tax | 4

Corporate and Other Services | 0

Education and Children’s Services | 14

Environmental Services, Public Protection and Regulation | 15

Highways and Transport | 12

Housing | 7

Planning and Development | 3

Other | 1

Total No. of complaints: 71

Newcastle Upon Tyne City Council

Complaints by Sector

Adult and Social Care | 17

Benefits and Tax | 6

Corporate and Other Services | 1

Education and Children’s Services | 18

Environmental Services, Public Protection and Regulation | 9

Highways and Transport | 7

Housing | 8

Planning and Development | 0

Other | 0

Total No. of complaints: 66

Oldham Metropolitan Borough Council

Complaints by Sector

Adult and Social Care | 13

Benefits and Tax | 8

Corporate and Other Services | 8

Education and Children’s Services | 16

Environmental Services, Public Protection and Regulation | 3

Highways and Transport | 5

Housing | 8

Planning and Development | 4

Other | 1

Total No. of complaints: 66

Doncaster City Council

Complaints by Sector

Adult and Social Care | 9

Benefits and Tax | 5

Corporate and Other Services | 8

Education and Children’s Services | 15

Environmental Services, Public Protection and Regulation | 6

Highways and Transport |1

Housing | 7

Planning and Development | 10

Other | 2

Total No. of complaints: 63

Rochdale Metropolitan Borough Council

Complaints by Sector

Adult and Social Care | 13

Benefits and Tax | 6

Corporate and Other Services | 6

Education and Children’s Services | 19

Environmental Services, Public Protection and Regulation | 4

Highways and Transport | 5

Housing | 7

Planning and Development | 1

Other | 1

Total No. of complaints: 62

Wigan Metropolitan Borough Council

Complaints by Sector

Adult and Social Care | 15

Benefits and Tax | 4

Corporate and Other Services | 0

Education and Children’s Services | 23

Environmental Services, Public Protection and Regulation | 5

Highways and Transport | 1

Housing | 4

Planning and Development | 9

Other | 1

Total No. of complaints: 62

Wakefield City Council

Complaints by Sector

Adult and Social Care | 11

Benefits and Tax | 3

Corporate and Other Services | 1

Education and Children’s Services | 19

Environmental Services, Public Protection and Regulation | 4

Highways and Transport | 7

Housing | 5

Planning and Development | 11

Other | 0

Total No. of complaints: 61

Bolton Metropolitan Borough Council

Complaints by Sector

Adult and Social Care | 10

Benefits and Tax | 2

Corporate and Other Services | 9

Education and Children’s Services | 11

Environmental Services, Public Protection and Regulation | 3

Highways and Transport | 6

Housing | 9

Planning and Development | 5

Other | 1

Total No. of complaints: 56

St. Helens Metropolitan Borough Council

Complaints by Sector

Adult and Social Care | 14

Benefits and Tax | 1

Services | 8

Education and Children’s Services | 17

Environmental Services, Public Protection and Regulation | 6

Highways and Transport | 4

Housing | 2

Planning and Development | 3

Other | 0

Total No. of complaints: 55

Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council

Complaints by Sector

Adult and Social Care | 7

Benefits and Tax | 4

Corporate and Other Services | 0

Education and Children’s Services | 26

Environmental Services, Public Protection and Regulation | 4

Highways and Transport | 2

Housing | 3

Planning and Development | 9

Other | 0

Total No. of complaints: 55

Sunderland City Council

Complaints by Sector

Adult and Social Care | 17

Benefits and Tax | 4

Corporate and Other Services | 4

Education and Children’s Services | 11

Environmental Services, Public Protection and Regulation | 10

Highways and Transport | 3

Housing | 0

Planning and Development | 2

Other | 2

Total No. of complaints: 53

Walsall Metropolitan Borough Council

Complaints by Sector

Adult and Social Care | 8

Benefits and Tax | 4

Corporate and Other Services | 2

Education and Children’s Services | 20

Environmental Services, Public Protection and Regulation | 6

Highways and Transport | 2

Housing | 3

Planning and Development | 8

Other | 0

Total No. of complaints: 53

Solihill Metropolitan Borough Council

Complaints by Sector

Adult and Social Care | 6

Benefits and Tax | 3

Corporate and Other Services | 1

Education and Children’s Services | 24

Environmental Services, Public Protection and Regulation | 2

Highways and Transport | 3

Housing | 7

Planning and Development | 4

Other | 2

Total No. of complaints: 52

Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council

Complaints by Sector

Adult and Social Care | 9

Benefits and Tax | 7

Corporate and Other Services | 7

Education and Children’s Services | 12

Environmental Services, Public Protection and Regulation | 1

Highways and Transport | 1

Housing | 6

Planning and Development | 8

Other | 0

Total No. of complaints: 51

North Tyneside Metropolitan Borough Council

Complaints by Sector

Adult and Social Care | 16

Benefits and Tax | 4

Corporate and Other Services | 5

Education and Children’s Services | 10

Environmental Services, Public Protection and Regulation | 5

Highways and Transport | 3

Housing | 5

Planning and Development | 2

Other | 0

Total No. of complaints: 50

Sefton Metropolitan Borough Council

Complaints by Sector

Adult and Social Care | 11

Benefits and Tax | 2

Corporate and Other Services | 3

Education and Children’s Services | 17

Environmental Services, Public Protection and Regulation | 5

Highways and Transport | 3

Housing | 4

Planning and Development | 4

Other | 0

Total No. of complaints: 49

Wolverhampton City Council

Complaints by Sector

Adult and Social Care | 9

Benefits and Tax | 3

Corporate and Other Services | 2

Education and Children’s Services | 12

Environmental Services, Public Protection and Regulation | 7

Highways and Transport | 3

Housing | 9

Planning and Development |3

Other | 0

Total No. of complaints: 48

Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council

Complaints by Sector

Adult and Social Care | 3

Benefits and Tax | 2

Corporate and Other Services | 3

Education and Children’s Services | 18

Environmental Services, Public Protection and Regulation | 7

Highways and Transport | 4

Housing | 8

Planning and Development | 1

Other | 1

Total No. of complaints: 47

Knowsley Metropolitan Borough Council

Complaints by Sector

Adult and Social Care | 8

Benefits and Tax | 4

Corporate and Other Services | 1

Education and Children’s Services | 11

Environmental Services, Public Protection and Regulation | 3

Highways and Transport | 2

Housing | 5

Planning and Development | 1

Other | 0

Total No. of complaints: 35

Water pollution has become a major issue for many people in the UK. With scores of incidents and anecdotal evidence mounting, we set out to uncover the true extent of the problem.

Below, you can find exclusive statistics we’ve compiled as a result of our research into water pollution incidents in the UK.

How Legal Expert Can Help You

Legal Expert is a firm of solicitors that specialises in injury and illness claims. We hold expertise in personal injury compensation claims and offer free advice on cases. If you’d like to speak with us now, you can connect with us via WhatsApp, live chat, in writing, or by calling us on the number at the top of this page.

How Did We Conduct Our Research Into Water Pollution Incidents?

We sent a Freedom of Information Request to the Environment Agency asking for the number of serious pollution incidents each water company in the UK has had in the last five years. By pollution incidents, we refer to the number of times pollution has been caused by spilling or discharging sewage into waterways in breach of environmental rules.

We also asked for the causes of such incidents as well as the contributing pollutant.

The Environment Agency provided the number of serious pollution incidents from the following water companies, broken down by financial year:

• Anglican Water
• Northumbrian Water
• Severn Trent Water
• Southern Water
• South West Water
• Thames Water
• United Utilities
• Welsh Water
• Wessex Water
• Yorkshire Water

However, results for Northumbrian Water and United Utilities were incomplete. The Environment Agency has been contacted for comment.

As such, we have collated results and omitted any from Northumbrian Water and United Utilities.

The Results

National

Figures obtained from the Environmental Agency reveal the majority of England’s nine water and sewage companies have recorded 92% of ‘serious pollution incidents’ this year alone. 

It comes as firms face £168m in fines from industry regulator Ofwat for historic sewage spills. 

The data we obtained shows the top water companies with the most reported serious pollution incidents in the last five years. 

It also reveals the leading causes and pollutants in England and Wales since 2019.

The Environment Agency categorises water pollution incidents as serious if they fall into their two highest categories: major (category 1) or significant (category 2).

Serious incidents can include events that, for example, cause fish to die, potentially harm bathers or force a drinking water provider to temporarily stop abstracting water from a river

Thames Water recorded the most serious water pollution incidents this year with a total of 20, an increase of 25% from 2023.

However, Yorkshire Water reported the highest increase in a 12- month period. The number of serious incidents skyrocketed by 83% from 6 incidents last year, to 11 in 2024 so far. 

A further 8 incidents were logged by Southern Water, down from 16 the year before and Anglian Water had 6 incidents down from 11 in 2023. 

Figures for serious water pollution incidents for Severn Trent and Northumbrian Water are missing data for 2024. The Environment Agency has been contacted for comment on this. 

It comes as Thames Water, Yorkshire Water and Northumbrian Water face £168m fines by Ofwat over historic sewage spills. 

The industry regulator made the announcement on Wednesday (July, 31) amidst growing public fury over the environmental and financial performance of some water companies. 

The proposal will go to public consultation and is part of Ofwat’s largest ever investigation into water company performance. 

Thames Water are facing fines of £104m from the industry regulator. Ofwat can fine companies up to 10% of their annual sales. In this case, the proposed fine is 9% of sales.

The data obtained by Legal Expert also shows the leading causes and pollutants contributing to ‘serious water pollution incidents’ in England and Wales over the past five years. 

Between 2019-2024, ‘Containment and Control’ was the leading cause, accounting for 83% of all reported ‘serious incidents’ in the last five years. 

This could include pipeline failures meaning hazardous materials transported through pipelines are released into the environment. Some 250 incidents have been recorded since 2019. 

In 79% of these cases, crude sewage was the pollutant – which is raw sewage that has not been treated.

The second most common cause of serious water pollution incidents was ‘Sewer Failure or Overflow.’ Some 113 incidents have been recorded since 2019, accounting for 37%.

A further 47 serious incidents have been caused by ‘pipe failure below ground’ and ‘;control measure failure’ was to blame for 22 incidents. 

Thames Water Utilities Ltd

Thames Water has recorded a 25% rise in serious water pollutant incidents this year, new figures reveal.

It reported the highest number of serious water pollution incidents out of all nine water companies in the UK.

The country’s largest household supplier reported 16 category one (the most serious) pollution incidents in 2023, rising to 20 in 2024. 

Thames Water is facing fines of £104m from industry regulator, Ofwat over historic sewage spills. 

Ofwat can fine companies up to 10% of their annual sales. In this case, the proposed fine is 9% of sales.

‘Serious Pollution Incidents’ Recorded by Thames Water In The Last Five Years

2019 | 14

2020 | 13

2021 | 11

2022 | 20

2023 | 16

2024 | 20

Total | 94

Anglian Water Services Limited

‘Serious Pollution Incidents’ Recorded by Anglican Water In The Last Five Years

2019 | 12

2020 | 12

2021 | 14

2022 | 11

2023 | 11

2024 | 6

Total | 36

Southern Water Services Ltd

‘Serious Pollution Incidents’ Recorded by Southern Water In The Last Five Years

2019 | 6

2020 | 4

2021 | 11

2022 | 6

2023 | 16

2024 | 8

Total | 51

Yorkshire Water Services Ltd

‘Serious Pollution Incidents’ Recorded by Yorkshire Water In The Last Five Years

2019 | 9

2020 | 3

2021 | 5

2022 | 2

2023 | 6

2024 | 11

Total | 36

Wessex Water Plc

‘Serious Pollution Incidents’ Recorded by Wessex Water In The Last Five Years

2019 | 1

2020 | 4

2021 | 5

2022 | 5

2023 | 1

2024 | 2

Total | 18

South West Water (SWW)

‘Serious Pollution Incidents’ Recorded by South West Water In The Last Five Years

2019 | 1

2020 | 3

2021 | 8

2022 | 3

2023 | 2

2024 | 1

Total | 18

Severn Trent Water Ltd

‘Serious Pollution Incidents’ Recorded by Severn Trent Water In The Last Five Years

2019 | 5

2020 | 1

2021 | 3

2022 | 1

2023 | 1

2024 | N/A

Total | 11*

Northumbrian Water

‘Serious Pollution Incidents’ Recorded by Northumbrian Water In The Last Five Years

2019 | 2

2020 | 1

2021 | 2

2022 | N/A

2023 | 1

2024 | N/A

Total | 6*

United Utilities Water Plc

‘Serious Pollution Incidents’ Recorded by United Utilities Water In The Last Five Years

2019 | N/A

2020 | N/A

2021 | 1

2022 | N/A

2023 | 1

2024 | 1

Total | 3*

Hit-and-runs or ‘Fail-to-stop incidents’ as they’re known in law are criminal offences in any case where injury or damage has been caused. 

By law, drivers are required to stop at the scene and provide their name and address and that of the owner of the vehicle.

These incidents can result in devastating consequences, particularly if injuries or fatalities are involved. 

As it stands, if a person is convicted of a hit-and-run, they can receive 5-10 points on their licence or be sent to prison for up to 26 weeks. They can also be fined by the Court up to £5,000.

But according to a driver survey by road safety charity Brake, 81% of UK drivers believe that drivers who kill or seriously injure should be banned from driving as a condition of bail. 

To gain a true insight into the prevalence of hit-and-run incidents on Britain’s roads, we set out to investigate.

How Legal Expert Can Help

Not knowing the driver’s identity can lead to complicated and often lengthy compensation processes. Legal Expert boasts a team of experienced solicitors who specialise in a range of different areas of law.

We offer free advice and support via our helpline and live chat service. If you’d like to speak with us now, please get in touch. You can also head here to learn more about car accident claims and how we can help you.

How We Conducted Our Research Into Hit-and-run Incidents In Britain

We submitted Freedom of Information requests to all 44 police forces in England and Wales asking for the number of hit-and-run incidents recorded in each policing district area in the last three years [Between April 6- April 5 2021/24] 

We also asked for the number of casualties and fatalities as well as the severity of any injuries sustained.

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) was also contacted and asked for the number of prosecutions for hit-and-run or fail-to-stop incidents in the last three years.

Due to the way some police forces organise data, some forces were only able to provide information regarding damage only collisions which is when a fail-to-stop incidents only results in vehicle damage not necessarily personal injury. However, the forces did provide the number of fatalities, serious and slight injuries for the dates requested.

National Charity for road crash victims, RoadPeace has been campaigning alongside Action Vision Zero for changes to how hit-and-run collisions are treated. 

Its latest report highlighted major inconsistencies with the ways in which the Met Police and Transport for London organise their data in relation to hit-and-run incidents.

It said that discrepancies between data sets within the forces made it difficult to track trends and create targeted solutions: “If data recording systems or practices are changing regularly, it becomes difficult to track progress made in reducing the number of hit and runs on our roads.”

Indeed, this was evident in Legal Expert’s latest investigation into hit-and-run incidents and prosecutions.

Out of 44 police forces, just 22 (50%) were able to provide figures in a comparable way that allowed for a clear insight of the true scope of hit-and-run incidents in England and Wales.

The report proposed four recommendations which included that “the MPS and TfL improve both the quality of the data they capture on hit-and-run collisions in London, and the way that data is stored, analysed, and shared with the public in future.”

See the results from your local police force below

Our Findings

Prosecutions down by 28% in England and Wales

Out of 22 police forces in England and Wales, 6 reported an increase in the number of hit-and-run crashes.

Separate Freedom of Information requests to the Crown Prosecution Service revealed that prosecutions for hit-and-runs have fallen by 28% in England and Wales in the past three years, with figures decreasing year on year.

The Met Police recorded the highest number of prosecutions, totalling 1,670 since 2021. Greater Manchester Police logged 664 while, South Wales Police prosecuted 547.

Other than the City of London Police (11) and the British Transport Police (24), Gwent Police recorded the least amount of prosecutions, totalling 71 in the last three years.

Bedfordshire Police

No. of damage-only collisions

2021/22 | 1,384

2022/23 | 1,393

2023/24 | 1,311

Total: 4,088

Injuries

Fatalities | 3

Serious | 121

Slight | 944

No. of prosecutions

2021/22 | 72

2022/23 | 44

2023/24 | 47

Total: 163

Cambridgeshire Constabulary

No. of damage-only collisions

2021/22 | 1,313

2022/23 | 1,361

2023/24 | 1,306

Total: 3,980

Injuries

Fatalities | 4

Serious | 185

Slight | 904

No. of prosecutions

2021/22 | 71

2022/23 | 53

2023/24 | 54

Total: 178

Cleveland Police

No. of fail-to-stop incidents

2021/22 | 30

2022/23 | 30

2023/24 | 28

Total: 88

Injuries

Fatalities | 1

Serious | 33

Slight | 54

No. of prosecutions

2021/22 | 26

2022/23 | 31

2023/24 | 22

Total: 79

Cumbria Constabulary

No. of fail-to-stop incidents

2021/22 | 313

2022/23 | 238

2023/24 | 227

Total: 778

Injuries

Fatalities | 2

Serious | 31

Slight | 152

No. of prosecutions

2021/22 | 91

2022/23 | 76

2023/24 | 67

Total: 234

Derbyshire Constabulary

No. of fail-to-stop incidents

2021/22 | 416

2022/23 | 454

2023/24 | 282

Total: 1152

Injuries

Fatalities | 13

Serious | 135

Slight | 1,004

No. of prosecutions

2021/22 | 137

2022/23 | 117

2023/24 | 101

Total: 234

Essex Police

No. of fail-to-stop incidents

2021/22 | 69

2022/23 | 61

2023/24 | 48

Total: 178

Injuries

Fatalities | 8

Serious | 37

Slight | 133

No. of prosecutions

2021/22 | 132

2022/23 | 90

2023/24 | 121

Total: 343

Greater Manchester Police

No. of fail-to-stop incidents

2021/22 | 215

2022/23 | 191

2023/24 | 213

Total: 619

Injuries

Fatalities | 24

Serious | 193

Slight | 469

No. of prosecutions

2021/22 | 280

2022/23 | 151

2023/24 | 233

Total: 644

Hertfordshire Constabulary

No. of damage-only collisions 

2021/22 | 2,219

2022/23 | 2,284

2023/24 | 2,114

Total: 6,617

Injuries

Fatalities | 2

Serious | 146

Slight | 1,255

No. of prosecutions

2021/22 | 134

2022/23 | 104

2023/24 | 110

Total: 348

Humberside Police

No. of fail-to-stop incidents

2021/22 | 106

2022/23 | 130

2023/24 | 147

Total: 383

No. of prosecutions

2021/22 | 132

2022/23 | 74

2023/24 | 109

Total: 315

Kent Police

No. of fail-to-stop incidents

2021/22 | 156

2022/23 | 78

2023/24 | 100

Total: 334

Injuries

Fatalities | 5

Serious | 146

Slight | 1,255

No. of prosecutions

2021/22 | 109

2022/23 | 98

2023/24 | 111

Total: 644

Leicestershire Constabulary

No. of fail-to-stop incidents

2021/22 | 449

2022/23 | 337

2023/24 | 320

Total: 1,106

Injuries

Serious | 51

Slight | 526

No. of incidents where driver was not insured

2021/22 | 16

2022/23 | 20

2023/24 | 32

No. of prosecutions

2021/22 | 79

2022/23 | 64

2023/24 | 49

Total: 192

Merseyside Police

No. of fail-to-stop incidents

2021/22 | 2,261

2022/23 | 1,455

2023/24 | 1,609

Total: 5,325

Injuries

Fatalities | 7

Serious | 166

Slight | 1,136

No. of prosecutions

2021/22 | 157

2022/23 | 122

2023/24 | 173

Total: 644

Norfolk Constabulary

No. of fail-to-stop incidents

2021/22 | 219

2022/23 | 153

2023/24 | 166

Total: 538

Injuries

Fatalities | 5

Serious | 99

Slight | 501

No. of prosecutions

2021/22 | 73

2022/23 | 64

2023/24 | 34

Total: 171

North Wales Police

No. of fail-to-stop incidents

2021/22 | 210

2022/23 | 217

2023/24 | 174

Total: 601

Injuries

Fatalities | 2

Serious | 53

Slight | 266

No. of prosecutions

2021/22 | 117

2022/23 | 105

2023/24 | 96

Total: 318

North Yorkshire Police

No. of fail-to-stop incidents

2021/22 | 153

2022/23 | 128

2023/24 | 124

Total: 405

Injuries

Serious | 45

Slight | 367

No. of prosecutions

2021/22 | 107

2022/23 | 150

2023/24 | 96

Total: 353

Northamptonshire Police

No. of fail-to-stop incidents

2021/22 | 38

2022/23 | 43

2023/24 | 45

Total: 126

No. of prosecutions

2021/22 | 67

2022/23 | 80

2023/24 | 63

Total: 210

South Wales Police

No. of fail-to-stop incidents

2021/22 | 102

2022/23 | 85

2023/24 | 115

Total: 302

Injuries

Fatalities | 5

Serious | 35

Slight | 267

No. of prosecutions

2021/22 | 222

2022/23 | 168

2023/24 | 157

Total: 547

Suffolk Constabulary

No. of fail-to-stop incidents

2021/22 | 154

2022/23 | 131

2023/24 | 135

Total: 420

Injuries

Fatalities | 1

Serious | 73

Slight | 414

No. of prosecutions

2021/22 | 46

2022/23 | 41

2023/24 | 45

Total: 132

Surrey Police

No. of fail-to-stop incidents

2021/22 | 296

2022/23 | 287

2023/24 | 253

Total: 836

Injuries

Fatalities | 5

Serious |132

Slight | 812

No. of prosecutions

2021/22 | 40

2022/23 | 48

2023/24 | 27

Total: 115

West Mercia Police

No. of fail-to-stop incidents

2021/22 | 280

2022/23 | 270

2023/24 | 231

Total: 781

Injuries

Fatalities | 8

Serious |144

Slight | 791

No. of prosecutions

2021/22 | 111

2022/23 | 97

2023/24 | 49

Total: 257

Wiltshire Police

No. of fail-to-stop incidents

2021/22 | 138

2022/23 | 100

2023/24 | 81

Total: 319

Injuries

Fatalities | 1

Serious | 28

Slight | 290

No. of prosecutions

2021/22 | 201

2022/23 | 185

2023/24 | 127

Total: 513

Last updated 4th March 2025. Dermal fillers are a type of cosmetic injection used to improve lines and wrinkles in the face. The filler is used to plump out areas of the face and lips, giving a fuller appearance. They are carried out without the need for surgery.

Whilst dermal fillers are a routine and fairly safe procedure, this does not mean things can’t go wrong. If you have suffered a dermal filler injury due to the practitioner’s negligence, you could make a dermal filler injury compensation claim.

Our solicitors are experienced in handling clinical negligence claims and could help you. Starting a claim is easy and stress free. You can contact an advisor today using the methods below. If an advisor thinks you have a claim, they could connect you to a No Win No Fee solicitor.

Contact us today;

• Call on 0800 073 8804.
• Use the live chat on this page.
• Or begin your claim online.

Jump To A Section

• What Is A Dermal Filler Injury Compensation Claim?
• How Could Dermal Filler Injuries Be Caused By Negligence?
• How Do I Claim For A Dermal Filler Injury?
• Is There A Time Limit For Making A Dermal Filler Claim?
• How Much Compensation For Dermal Filler Injuries?
• How Can Legal Expert Help You?
• Make A No Win No Fee Dermal Filler Injury Compensation Claim
• Resources Related To Clinical Negligence Claims

What Is A Dermal Filler Injury Compensation Claim?

Any cosmetic procedure must be carried out by a relevant and trained professional. Any such procedure should also be carried out according to guidelines and professional standards.

If a professional negligently breached their duty of care whilst carrying out your dermal filler procedure and you suffered unnecessary harm, you could claim compensation. You will need to show that,

1. The professional carrying out the dermal filler procedure owed you a duty of care. Whenever you are having a procedure carried out the person doing it automatically owes you a duty of care.
2. That they have breached this duty of care.
3. You suffered avoidable harm or unnecessary scarring or disfigurement as a result.

To see if you could make a dermal filler injury compensation claim, contact us for free using the above details.

How Could Dermal Filler Injuries Be Caused By Negligence?

As with many procedures, the use of dermal fillers could include common, less common and rare side effects.

According to statistics from the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons, two in three surgeons are seeing botched fillers. 84% of problems with botched permanent fillers require surgical correction.

Examples of dermal filler injuries caused by negligent cosmetic professionals could include;

Procedural mistakes: these are mistakes made whilst the dermal filler treatment is being carried out.

• The filler might be applied to the wrong site
• It could block blood flow leading to tissue death.
• A harmful or unsafe substance is used.

Poor advice: prior to your procedure being carried out you should be given a full consultation in which the procedure and any risks are fully explained to you. If you were not properly informed of potential side effects or risks the professional may have been negligent.

How Do I Claim For A Dermal Filler Injury?

One of the most important steps in making a dermal filler injury compensation claim, or making any beauty treatment injury claims, is gathering supporting evidence. Your claim will require evidence of what happened, what negligence was involved and how the negligence impacted you. Without evidence of the harm caused to you and the defendant’s liability, you may find it difficult to make a dermal filler injury claim.

Types of evidence which could support your claim may include;

• Medical records and notes. These may include medical records from the clinic at which you had your dermal filler treatment and your medical records and history covering treatment required to correct it.
• Witness statements or details. This may include details of anyone who either witnessed the negligent treatment take place, or the impact of this on you.
• Photographs before and after the procedure.

Please contact our team to learn more about claims and evidence supporting them.

Is There A Time Limit For Making A Dermal Filler Claim?

Whether you are claiming compensation for serious facial scarring or other injuries caused by dermal filler injections, you must be aware of the applicable time limit. Time limits in which to claim compensation are set in The Limitation Act 1980 and are, in general, three years. This time limit will begin either:

1. The date on which you received negligent treatment.
2. The date you discovered injuries caused by negligent treatment.

As it can be harder to make a claim if you are close to the time limit it is important to begin your dermal filler claim as soon as possible. In addition, beginning your claim as soon as possible gives you the best chance to gather supporting evidence.

There are exceptions to the three year time limit, such as where the person harmed under the age of eighteen or where they lack the mental capacity to make a claim on their own behalf.

Contact an advisor today to find out if you could make a dermal filler injury compensation claim.

How Much Compensation For Dermal Filler Injuries?

Damages in a dermal filler injury compensation claim will take into account general damages and special damages. General damages compensate you for the pain and suffering as well as any unsightly scarring or disfigurement caused by the dermal filler. This might include physical injuries and psychological harm caused, such as anxiety caused by any impact on your appearance.

It is important to be able to show what injuries you sustained and their impact on you. If you choose to claim with a solicitor they may organise for you to attend a medical assessment.

Below we look at examples of how much compensation may be awarded in a negligence claim for a dermal filler injury, such as a facial injury. The first figure is our own and an illustration of what you could claim for multiple serious injuries and special damages. The rest of the figures are taken from the Judicial College (JC) guidelines. This document is used by solicitors and other parties to compensation claims.

Please only refer to these figures as a guide – none of them can be guaranteed as all dermal filler injury claims are unique.

Compensation Examples

• You could claim up to £500,000 for a combination of multiple severe injuries and special damages.
• For psychiatric damage which is severe the person may be unable to work, study or go about their daily life as before. Compensation could range from £66,920 to £141,240.
• For psychiatric damage which is moderately severe, though there are still problems with the factors above, compensation may range from £23,270 to £66,920.
• Post-traumatic stress disorder which is severe and has permanent effects on the person’s life, preventing them from functioning at pre-trauma levels could be awarded compensation from £73,050 to £122,850.
• In instances of post-traumatic stress disorder which is moderate the person may largely recover. Compensation could range from £9,980 to £28,250.
• For facial disfigurement which causes very severe scarring and causes a severe psychological reaction in someone in their 30’s or younger, compensation ranges from £36,340 to £118,790.
• For facial disfigurement which causes less severe scarring which is still substantial and causes a significant psychological reaction, compensation amounts range from £21,920 to £59,090.
• For facial disfigurement causing significant scarring and where the worst effects may be reduced by plastic surgery compensation ranges from £11,120 to £36,720.
• Where the facial disfigurement results in less significant scarring the person may have a single noticeable scar, or several small ones. Compensation ranges from £4,820 to £16,770.
• In instances of facial disfigurement causing trivial scarring the effect may only be minor. Compensation amounts can range from £2,080 to £4,310.

Special Damages

Special damages compensate you for the financial and wider impact that the injury has had on you. You could claim for losses, costs and expenses related to your dermal filler injuries. These damages could include compensation for;

• Lost income if you were unable to work for a period of time during recovery or were not able to return to work. You will need evidence to claim for loss of earnings. This may include bank statements or wage slips.
• Medical expenses such as for cosmetic surgery or other treatment.
• Travel expenses to get to and from medical appointments.

From cosmetic surgery claims to plastic surgery negligence claims, our experienced team could help if you have been harmed by negligent cosmetic procedures. For more information on how a cosmetic injury claim is calculated, please contact our team.

How Can Legal Expert Help You?

Once you’ve contacted us, we’ll give you an initial free consultation to discuss your circumstances and confirm whether you have an eligible dermal filler injury claim. If you are eligible, we can connect you with one of our specialist No Win No Fee solicitors. 

Your solicitor can then use their legal skills and experience to help you throughout the dermal filler injury compensation claims process, which includes:

• Help with gathering evidence. Even if the party admits liability for the accident, you must prove they are also liable for your injuries in order to be compensated. This is because your claim will go to the liable party’s insurance company.
• Corresponding with the liable third party and their insurance company so you don’t have to.
• Negotiating the claim out of court to keep the claims process as short as possible. If your claim does have to go to court, your solicitor will be with you every step of the way and sort further legal representation for you. 
• Ensuring the dermal filler negligence compensation value is fair and accurate. If the liable third party admits liability, your solicitor can also try and help you secure interim payments to fund your ongoing expenses before the claim is settled. 
• Keeping you up to date with regular updates throughout the claims process.

To find out whether you can start a dermal filler injury claim with us today, please have a chat with us.

Make A No Win No Fee Dermal Filler Injury Compensation Claim

One of the most frequently asked questions about making a dermal filler injury compensation claim is how much it costs to make your claim. If you choose to claim with a solicitor from Legal Expert they could handle your claim through a No Win No Fee or Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA). A CFA is a way to fund a solicitor without the need to pay upfront.

If your claim is successful, your No Win No Fee solicitor will charge a success fee. This is a legally limited percentage of the compensation awarded to you.

For more information on making a dermal filler injury compensation claim please contact us;

• Phone an advisor on 0800 073 8804.
• Talk to us using the live chat on this page.
• Start your dermal filler injury claim online.

Resources Related To Clinical Negligence Claims

Below we have included links to related clinical negligence claims.

• In this guide we look at how much compensation you could receive for surgeon negligence and how you could have been harmed.
• Learn about making a surgery negligence claim in this guide.
• Learn more about claiming compensation for delayed treatment in this guide.

References

• Learn more about plastic and cosmetic surgery at the British Association of Aesthetic and Plastic Surgeons (BAAPS).
• Government information on the licensing of non-surgical cosmetic procedures in England.
• Consultation into unregulated cosmetic procedures from the government.

Thank you for reading our guide to making a dermal filler injury compensation claim. Thank you for

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A recent true-crime documentary series ‘TikTok: Murder Gone Viral’ has sparked public debate about crimes linked to the social media platform. 

We at Legal Expert have seen an influx of recent enquiries associated with criminal offences connected with TikTok.

Often insidious in nature, the crimes range from harassment, stalking and theft to sexual grooming and sexual exploitation of children.

What’s more, the anonymity that social media can facilitate often makes the crimes very difficult to solve.

Legal Expert Solicitor, Jane Davies said: “Some of the offences recorded by police forces linked to TikTok are extremely disturbing and worrying. What’s more worrying, is that lack of evidence preventing further police action seems to be extremely common.”

To gain a true understanding of the prevalence of crime associated with TikTok, we set out to investigate the issue.

How Legal Expert Can Help

Legal Expert boasts a team of experienced solicitors who specialise in a range of different areas of law. We offer free advice and support via our helpline and live chat service. If you’d like to speak with us now, please get in touch. You can also head here to learn more about criminal injury claims and how we can help you.

How We Conducted Our Research Into TikTok Criminal Offences

We sent out Freedom of Information Requests to all 43 police forces in England and Wales. 

As there is no specific criminal offence pertaining to the platform, we asked how many offences/alleged offences have police forces logged where ‘TikTok’ was recorded as being an element in the offence in the last three years (Between April 6-April 5 2021-2024).

We also asked for the nature of offences and what police action was taken for alleged crimes in the past year (2023/24). 

Findings show a stark increase in the number of such offences year on year and revealed harassment, stalking and sexual offences to be among the most prevalent types of crimes linking to the platform.

What’s more, across police forces in England and Wales, ‘evidential difficulties’ are most commonly cited for preventing any further police action.

Legal Expert Solicitor, Jane Davies added: “It is important that victims know there will be consequences if they are subjected to abuse online or in person – in any capacity.

“Reaching out for legal advice can be a good way to get the ball rolling and make sure perpetrators are held to account.”

See the results for your local police force below:

Statistics on TikTok Criminal Offences By Police Forces in England and Wales

National Outlook – England and Wales

Police forces in England and Wales have probed more than 14,000 crimes linked to social media site, TikTok in the last three years with figures rising by 70% since 2021. 

Of the 43 police forces in England and Wales, 39 responded to the Freedom of Information Request within the deadline.

Six forces refused the request for reasons including, the data was not easily retrievable and/or could be accessed within the scope of the FOIAct – leaving 33 full responses.

Of those, the total results are as follows:

Number of offences where TikTok has been recorded

2021/22: 3,423

2022/23: 4,952

2023/24: 5,736

Total: 14,003

 

Cambridgeshire Constabulary

Number of offences where TikTok has been recorded

2021/22: 124

2022/23: 175

2023/24: 214

Total: 513

Most common nature of offences 2023/24 

• Stalking and Harassment | 108
• Violence Without Injury | 19
• Other Theft | 14
• Other Sexual Offences | 13
• Violence With Injury | 13

Most common police outcome type 2023/24 | No. of offences

• Evidential difficulties prevent further action; victim does not support police action | 55
• Evidential difficulties prevent further action; victim supports police action | 44
• Investigation complete – no suspect identified | 44
• Evidential difficulties victim based – suspect not identified | 18
• Charge/Summons | 12

Cheshire Constabulary

Number of offences where TikTok has been recorded

2021/22: 81

2022/23: 81

2023/24: 74

Total: 236

Most common nature of offences 2023/24 

• Harassment | 27
• Malicious communications | 17
• Stalking | 11
• Blackmail| 4
• Assault without injury | 3

Most common police outcome type 2023/24 | No. of offences

• Named Suspect Identified. Evidential Difficulties Prevent Further Action | 18
• Named Suspect Identified: Victim Supports Police Action But Evidential Difficulties Prevent Further Action | 14
• Other Agency Takes Primacy | 13
• Investigation Complete; No Suspect Identified | 11
• Evidential Difficulties Victim Based | 6
• Charge/Summons | 4

Cleveland Police

Number of offences where TikTok has been recorded

2021/22: 72

2022/23: 98

2023/24: 107

Total: 277

Most common nature of offences 2023/24 

• Harassment | 32
• Malicious Communications | 12
• Stalking | 11
• Other Offences Against The State And Public Order | 10
• Obscene Publications, etc. and Protected Sexual Material | 10

Offences recorded in 2023/24 include

• Investigation complete no suspect identified | 36
• Victim declines/withdraws support – named suspect identified | 33
• Police – named suspect, victim supports but evidential difficulties | 8
• Victim declines/unable to support action to identify offender | 7 
• Charged | 6

Cumbria Constabulary

Number of offences where TikTok has been recorded

2021/22: 33

2022/23: 39

2023/24: 42

Total: 114

Increase of 27%

Most common nature of offences 2023/24 

• Stalking and Harassment | 22
• Obsence Publications | 7
• Public Fear, Alarm or Distress | 6
• Other Sexual Offences | 4
• Other Offences Against The State Or Public Order| 2

Offences recorded in 2023/24 include

• Named Suspect identified: victim supports police action but evidential difficulties prevent further action | 8
• Named Suspect identified: evidential difficulties prevent further action; victim does not support (or has withdrawn support from) police action | 6
• Community resolution | 6
• Investigation Complete: No suspect identified | 5
• Evidential Difficulties Victim Based | 4

Derbyshire Constabulary

Number of offences where TikTok has been recorded

2021/22: 50

2022/23: 58

2023/24: 80

Total: 188 (60% Increase)

Most common nature of offences 2023/24 

• Malicious Communications | 27
• Harassment | 21
• Stalking | 9
• Sexual Grooming| 7
• Obscene Publications | 3

Most common police outcome type 2023/24 | No. of offences

• Investigation complete no suspect identified| 28
• Police – named suspect, victim supports but evidential difficulties| 15
• Victim declines/withdraws support – named suspect identified| 11
• Victim declines/unable to support action to identify offender | 5
• Community resolution | 3

Devon & Cornwall Police

Number of offences where TikTok has been recorded

2021/22: 1

2022/23: 34

2023/24: 143

Total: 178

Most common nature of offences 2023/24 

• Stalking and Harassment | 103
• Other Sexual Offences | 9
• Other Theft | 8
• Violence Without Injury | 6
• Miscellaneous Crimes Against Society | 5

Most common police outcome type 2023/24 | No. of offences

• Investigation Complete: No Suspect – Case Closed| 35
• Suspect Identified – Evidential Difficulties| 28
• Filed| 22
• Victim no Support | 13
• Under investigation | 7

Dorset Police

Number of offences where TikTok has been recorded

2021/22: 14

2022/23: 16

2023/24: 16

Total: 46

Most common nature of offences 2023/24 

• Harassment | 6
• Malicious Communications | 5
• Obsence Publications | 3
• Blackmail | 1
• Stalking | 1

Most common police outcome type 2023/24 | No. of offences

• Investigation complete no suspect identified| 3
• Other body/agency has investigation primacy| 3
• Police – named suspect, victim supports but evidential difficulties| 3
• Victim declines/unable to support action to identify offender | 2
• Victim declines/withdraws support – named suspect identified | 2

Durham Constabulary

Number of offences where TikTok has been recorded

2021/22: 111

2022/23: 143

2023/24: 120

Total: 374

Most common nature of offences 2023/24 

• Harassment | 37
• Malicious Communications | 35
• Stalking | 26
• Other Offences (Against The State And Public Order) | 5
• Sexual Activity Involving A Child Under 16 | 3

Most common police outcome type 2023/24 | No. of offences

• Named Suspect Identified – Evidential Difficulties: Victim Supportive | 39
• Investigation Complete – No Suspect Identified | 24
• Named Suspect Identified – Evidential Difficulties: Victim NOT Supportive| 22
• Named Suspect Identified – Evidential Difficulties: Victim NOT Supportive | 8
• Named Suspect NOT identified – Evidential Difficulties: Victim Declines or Unable to Support | 5

Dyfed-Powys Police

Number of offences where TikTok has been recorded

2021/22: 22

2022/23: 42

2023/24: 42

Total: 106

Most common nature of offences 2023/24 

• Engage in sexual communication with a child | 19
• Sending letters etc with intent to cause distress or anxiety | 9
• Stalking | 2
• Pursue a course of conduct in breach of S1 (1) which amounts to stalking | 2
• Engage in sexual communication with a child | 1

Most common police outcome type 2023/24 | No. of offences

• Victim declines/withdraws support – named suspect identified | 13
• Investigation complete no suspect identified | 7
• Cancelled/transferred | 6
• Victim declines/unable to support action to identify offender | 5
• Other body/agency has investigation primacy | 3

Essex Police

Number of offences where TikTok has been recorded

2021/22: 241

2022/23: 243

2023/24: 148

Total: 632

Offences recorded in 2023/24 include

• Causing or Inciting the sexual exploitation of a child (aged 13-17)
• Harassment – Stalking involving serious alarm/distress 
• Inciting a child family member to engage in sexual activity
• Kidnapping – False imprisonment
• Threats to kill.

Most common police outcome type 2023/24 | No. of offences

• Investigation Complete; No Suspect Identified | 32
• Named Suspect Identified. Evidential Difficulties Prevent Further Action | 28
• Named Suspect Identified: Victim Supports Police Action But Evidential Difficulties Prevent Further Action| 28
• Evidential Difficulties Victim Based | 17
• Diversionary, educational or intervention activity undertaken | 15

Gloucestershire Constabulary

Number of offences where TikTok has been recorded

2021/22: 34

2022/23: 71

2023/24: 83

Total: 188 (Increase of 144% between 2021/22 and 2023/24)

Most common nature of offences 2023/24 

• Harassment | 18
• Stalking | 14
• Malicious Communications | 13
• Obscene publications | 6
• Blackmail | 4

Most common police outcome type 2023/24 | No. of offences

• Investigation complete: no suspect identified | 22
• Evidential difficulties: suspect identified; victim supports action | 20
• Evidential difficulties: suspect identified; victim does not support further action | 13
• Evidential difficulties: suspect not identified; victim does not support further action | 6
• Action undertaken by another body/agency | 3

Greater Manchester Police

Number of offences where TikTok has been recorded

2021/22: 334

2022/23: 509

2023/24: 644

Total: 1487 (Increase of 93% between 2021/22 and 2023/24)

Most common nature of offences 2023/24 

• Stalking and Harassment | 543
• Public order offences | 29
• All other theft offences | 21
• Miscellaneous crimes against society | 18
• Other sexual offences | 13

Hertfordshire Constabulary

Number of offences where TikTok has been recorded

2021/22: 37

2022/23: 63

2023/24: 88

Total: 188 (Increase of 138%)

Most common nature of offences 2023/24 

• Harassment | 27
• Malicious Communications | 27
• Stalking | 14
• Blackmail | 8
• Obscene publications | 5

Most common police outcome type 2023/24 | No. of offences

• Named Suspect – Victim Unsupportive | 19
• Named Suspect – Evidential Difficulties | 17
• No Suspect Identified | 16
• Suspect not identified – Victim Unsupportive | 15
• Unfinalised Investigation | 15

Humberside Police

Number of offences where TikTok has been recorded

Total: 403

Most common nature of offences 2023/24 

• Harassment | 49
• Malicious Communications | 24
• Stalking | 12
• State or Public Order | 3
• Assault With Injury | 2

Most common police outcome type 2023/24 | No. of offences

• Police – named suspect, victim supports but evidential difficulties | 19
• Investigation complete no suspect identified | 13
• Police – named suspect, victim supports but evidential difficulties | 9
• Victim declines/withdraws support – named suspect identified | 7

Lancashire Constabulary

Number of offences where TikTok has been recorded

2021/22: 71

2022/23: 66

2023/24: 98

Total: 235 (Increase of 48% between 2022/23 and 2023/24)

Most common nature of offences 2023/24 

• Sending letters etc with intent to cause distress or anxiety, | 82
• Harassment – without violence | 37
• Take or to make or to distribute indecent photographs or pseudo- photographs, of children | 32
• Pursue course of conduct in breach of Sec (1) which amounts to stalking | 21
• Assault without Injury – Common assault and battery | 8

Most common police outcome type 2023/24 | No. of offences

• Investigation Complete; No Suspect Identified | 53
• Named Suspect Identified: Evidential Difficulties Prevent Further Action | 47
• Named Suspect Identified: Victim Supports Police Action But Evidential Difficulties
  Prevent Further Action | 34
• No Further Action | 32
• Community Resolution | 12

Leicestershire Constabulary

Number of offences where TikTok has been recorded

2021/22: 107

2022/23: 155

2023/24: 164

Total: 426 (Increase of 53% between 2021/22 and 2023/24)

Most common nature of offences 2023/24 

• Malicious Communications | 34
• Harassment without violence | 31
• Harassment (Put in fear of violence) | 11
• Stalking | 11
• Breach a non-molestation order | 6

Most common police outcome type 2023/24 | No. of offences

• Investigation complete no suspect identified | 48
• Named suspect, victim supports but evidential difficulties | 29
• Offender Charged or Court Summons | 11
• Victim declines to support action (Named
  suspect) | 10
• Crime under investigation | 8

Lincolnshire Police

Number of offences where TikTok has been recorded

2021/22: 54

2022/23: 68

2023/24: 76

Total: 198 (Increase of 41%)

Most common nature of offences 2023/24 

• Stalking and Harassment | 53
• Miscellaneous Crimes Against Society | 6
• Other Sexual Offences | 6
• Violence Without Injury | 5
• Public Disorder | 3

Most common police outcome type 2023/24 | No. of offences

• Investigation complete no suspect identified | 29
• Police – named suspect, victim supports but evidential difficulties | 22
• Victim declines/withdraws support – named suspect identified | 10
• Unresolved | 8
• Victim declines/unable to support action to identify offender | 3

Merseyside Police

Number of offences where TikTok has been recorded

2021/22: 101

2022/23: 116

2023/24: 139

Total: 356 (Increase of 38% between 2021/22 and 2023/24)

Most common nature of offences 2023/24 

• Stalking and Harassment | 117
• Other sexual offences | 7
• Miscellaneous crimes against society | 6
• Public order | 4
• Violence without injury | 2

Most common police outcome type 2023/24 | No. of offences

• Investigation Complete No Suspect Identified | 46
• Victim Declines/Withdraws Support – Named Suspect Identified | 28
• Police – Named Suspect, Victim Supports But Evidential Difficulties | 24
• Victim Declines/Unable to Support Action To Identify Offender | 19
• Charged | 3

Norfolk Constabulary

Number of offences where TikTok has been recorded

2021/22: 135

2022/23: 139

2023/24: 121

Total: 395

Most common nature of offences 2023/24 

• Harassment – without violence (course of conduct) | 37
• Sending letters etc with intent to cause distress or anxiety | 15
• Take or to make or to distribute indecent photographs or pseudo- photographs, of children| 9
• Stalking – Pursue course of conduct in breach of Sec 1 (1) which amounts to stalking | 7
• Blackmail (Indictable)| 6

Most common police outcome type 2023/24 | No. of offences

• Named Suspect Identified: Evidential Difficulties Prevent Further Action: Victim Does Not Support (Or Has Withdrawn Support From) Police Action | 35
• Named Suspect Identified: Victim Supports Police Action But Evidential Difficulties Prevent Further Action | 28
• Investigation Complete; No Suspect Identified| 21
• Under Investigation | 7
• Community Resolution | 6

North Wales Police

Number of offences where TikTok has been recorded

2021/22: 26

2022/23: 44

2023/24: 34

Total: 356 (Increase of 69% between 2021/22 and 2022/23)

North Yorkshire Police

Number of offences where TikTok has been recorded

2021/22: 45

2022/23: 85

2023/24: 99

Total: 229 (Increase of 120% between 2021/22 and 2023/24)

Most common nature of offences 2023/24 

• Violence against the person | 59
• Theft: all other theft | 17
• Miscellaneous crimes against society | 10
• Fraud | 6
• Public order offences | 3

Most common police outcome type 2023/24 | No. of offences

• Evidential difficulties prevent further action; victim does not support police action | 23
• Investigation complete ‐ no suspect identified | 17
• Evidential difficulties prevent further action; victim supports police action| 8
• Evidential difficulties victim based – suspect not identified | 7
• Charged/Summonsed | 3

Northamptonshire Police

Number of offences where TikTok has been recorded

2021/22: 65

2022/23: 81

2023/24: 106

Total: 252 (Increase of 63% between 2021/22 and 2023/24)

Most common nature of offences 2023/24 

• Violence without injury | 80
• Miscellaneous crimes against society | 8
• All other theft offences | 6
• Violence with injury | 4
• Public disorder | 3

Most common police outcome type 2023/24 | No. of offences

• Victim declines/withdraws support – named suspect identified | 33
• Investigation complete no suspect identified | 24
• Police – named suspect, victim supports but evidential difficulties| 19
• Victim declines/unable to support action to identify offender | 10
• Other body/agency has investigation primacy | 5

Northumbria Police

Number of offences where TikTok has been recorded

2021/22: 300

2022/23: 527

2023/24: 610

Total: 1437 (Increase of 103% between 2021/22 and 2023/24)

Most common nature of offences 2023/24 

• Harassment | 465
• Miscellaneous crimes| 65
• Public disorder| 18
• Other violence | 8
• Criminal damage – other | 7

Most common police outcome type 2023/24 | No. of offences

• Investigation Complete – No Suspect Identified | 193
• Victim Does Not Support Police Action | 167
• Evidential Difficulties| 126
• Ongoing | 41
• Charge/Summons | 23

Nottinghamshire Police

Number of offences where TikTok has been recorded

2021/22: 79

2022/23: 120

2023/24: 176

Total: 375 (Increase of 123% between 2021/22 and 2023/24)

Most common nature of offences 2023/24 

• Stalking and harassment
• Miscellaneous crimes against society
• Public disorder
• Violence without injury
• All other theft offences

Most common police outcome type 2023/24 | No. of offences

• Investigation complete no suspect identified | 65
• Victim declines/withdraws support – named suspect identified | 40
• Police – named suspect, victim supports but evidential difficulties | 30
• Unresolved | 9
• Charged | 5

South Yorkshire Police

Number of offences where TikTok has been recorded

2021/22: 111

2022/23: 185

2023/24: 199

Total: 495 (Increase of 79% between 2021/22 and 2023/24)

Most common nature of offences 2023/24 

• Stalking and Harassment | 147
• Miscellaneous crimes against society| 19
• Other sexual offences| 11
• Public fear, alarm or distress | 10
• Other theft | 3

Most common police outcome type 2023/24 | No. of offences

• Investigation Complete; No Suspect Identified | 80
• Named Suspect Identified: Evidential Difficulties Prevent Further Action | 65
• Named Suspect Identified: Victim Supports Police Action But Evidential Difficulties Prevent Further | 22
• Further investigation that could provide sufficient evidence to support formal action is not in public interest | 12
• Evidential Difficulties Victim Based | 11

Staffordshire Police

Number of offences where TikTok has been recorded

Total: 295

Suffolk Constabulary

Number of offences where TikTok has been recorded

2021/22: 68

2022/23: 84

2023/24: 80

Total: 232

Most common nature of offences 2023/24 

• Harassment – without violence (course of conduct)| 28
• Sending letters etc with intent to cause distress or anxiety| 21
• Blackmail (Indictable) | 6
• Take or to make or to distribute indecent photographs or pseudo- photographs, of children | 6
• Assault without Injury – Common assault and battery | 4

Most common police outcome type 2023/24 | No. of offences

• Investigation Complete; No Suspect Identified | 28
• Named Suspect Identified: Victim Supports Police Action But Evidential Difficulties Prevent Further Action | 18
• Named Suspect Identified: Evidential Difficulties Prevent Further Action | 15
• Other body/agency has investigation primacy| 6
• Evidential Difficulties Victim Based | 5

Sussex Police

Number of offences where TikTok has been recorded

2021/22: 58

2022/23: 99

2023/24: 120

Total: 277

Most common nature of offences 2023/24 

• Stalking and Harassment| 95
• Miscellaneous Crimes Against Society | 8
• Other Sexual Offences | 4
• Other Theft | 4
• Public Order | 4

Most common police outcome type 2023/24 | No. of offences

• Investigation complete no suspect identified | 49
• Named suspect identified – victim does not support | 19
• Evidential difficulties – named suspect identified | 17
• Diversionary, educational or intervention activity | 4
• Community Resolution | 3

Warwickshire Police

Number of offences where TikTok has been recorded

2021/22: 48

2022/23: 101

2023/24: 105

Total: 254

Most common nature of offences 2023/24 

• Violence Against The Person | 67
• Sexual Offences | 13
• Miscellaneous Crimes Against Society | 11
• Theft | 7
• Public Order Offences | 4

Most common police outcome type 2023/24 | No. of offences

• Named Suspect Identified: Evidential Difficulties Prevent Further Action | 33
• Investigation Complete; No Suspect Identified | 20
• Evidential Difficulties Victim Based | 15
• Named Suspect Identified: Victim Supports Police Action But Evidential Difficulties Prevent Further Action | 15
• Filed or under investigation | 10

West Mercia Police

Number of offences where TikTok has been recorded

2021/22: 224

2022/23: 308

2023/24: 233

Total: 765 (Increase of 38% between 2021/22 and 2022/23)

Most common nature of offences 2023/24 

• Violence Against The Person | 181
• Sexual Offences | 19
• Theft | 11
• Public Order Offences | 9
• Miscellaneous Crimes Against Society | 7

Most common police outcome type 2023/24 | No. of offences

• Named Suspect Identified: Evidential Difficulties Prevent Further Action | 65
• Named Suspect Identified: Victim Supports Police Action But Evidential Difficulties Prevent Further Action | 61
• Investigation Complete; No Suspect Identified | 61
• Ongoing Investigation | 15
• Evidential Difficulties Victim Based | 11

West Yorkshire Police

Number of offences where TikTok has been recorded

2021/22: 548

2022/23: 873

2023/24: 795

Total: 1437 (Increase of 59% between 2021/22 and 2022/23)

Most common nature of offences 2023/24 

• Harassment | 465
• Miscellaneous crimes| 65
• Public disorder| 18
• Other violence | 8
• Criminal damage – other | 7

Most common police outcome type 2023/24 | No. of offences

• Investigation complete: No suspect ID | 687
• Evidential difficulties: Suspect ID | 625
• Evidential difficulties: Suspect ID (Victim based) | 553
• Ongoing Investigation | 130
• Further investigation not in public interest | 45

If you’ve been injured by trailing lead hazards in the workplace, you might be wondering if you can make a compensation claim. Wires, leads, and cables are commonplace in the modern working environment, but when they aren’t handled correctly, they can become a health and safety hazard.

In this guide, we’ll discuss when you could be eligible to make an accident at work claim. We’ll also answer some frequently asked questions, like what is a trailing lead hazard, and how much compensation you could get for a successful claim.

Following this, we’ll discuss the benefits of working with a No Win No Fee solicitor on your case. It’s not mandatory to claim with the help of a legal professional, but we always recommend it. To find out how Legal Expert could help you maximise your compensation payout, keep reading or get in touch by:

• Calling us on 0800 073 8804
• Using the live chat feature
• Contacting us online

Browse Our Guide

1. Can You Claim If Injured By Trailing Lead Hazards?
2. What Is The Time Limit In An Accident At Work Claim?
3. What Is A Trailing Lead Hazard Claim?
4. How To Claim If Injured By Trailing Lead Hazards
5. How Much Compensation From Slip and Fall Claims?
6. Claim For Injuries Caused By Trailing Lead Hazards On A No Win No Fee Basis
7. Read More About Accident At Work Claims

Can I Claim If Injured By Trailing Lead Hazards?

A trailing lead hazard occurs when cables or wires are left unmarked in walkways, creating a tripping risk. However, spotting a trailing lead or wire alone isn’t enough to make a personal injury claim; you need to be able to prove that negligence occurred.

In personal injury law, negligence happens when:

• Your employer owes you a duty of care
• They breach this duty
• You are injured as a result

Employers owe their employees a duty of care when they’re carrying out their work duties. This means they have a legal responsibility to keep you safe, as per the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 (HASAWA).

Part of this responsibility includes keeping walkways clear of obstructions like trailing lead hazards and cables. If your employer leaves a wire trailing over the floor, and you trip over this and suffer a broken leg, then you may be able to make a claim.

How Often Do Trip And Falls Happen At Work?

According to statistics published by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), Great Britain’s independent health and safety watchdog, trips and falls makeup 31% of all reported non-fatal injuries. This makes them the most common injury of their kind.

However, this is not always an accurate picture of what happens in the workplace. This is because the HSE takes their statistics from reports made under RIDDOR, or the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013. Only the most serious injuries are reported under this legislation, so the actual number may be higher.

Keep reading to find out how a trailing lead could cause an injury, or get in touch with us for more information on claims for trip accidents.

What Is The Time Limit In An Accident At Work Claim?

When making a claim after trailing lead hazards have resulted in an injury, you need to ensure that the claim is made within the relevant limitation period. In the vast majority of cases, this will be 3 years from the accident date as set out in the Limitation Act 1980. However, it is important to note that certain exceptions to this can apply.

These are:

• Children: Persons under 18 cannot claim for themselves and therefore, the limitation period is counted from their 18th birthday. This gives them until they reach 21 to begin a claim.
• Those without sufficient mental capacity: Persons who lack the capacity to make a claim, whether due to their injuries or from a prior condition, will have the time limit frozen altogether. In cases where capacity is recovered, the time limit can be counted from the date of recovery.

In order to get the claims process underway sooner, a parent or guardian, or another suitable adult such as a solicitor, may be appointed as a litigation friend. A litigation friend has the authority to make decisions about the case, and will attend court in lieu of the injured person if there is a hearing. 

To find out more about the time limits, whether any exceptions are relevant to your circumstances, or for a free assessment of your eligibility to claim compensation after trailing leads caused you injury, get in touch today via the details given below. 

What Is A Trailing Lead Hazard Claim?

So, how could trailing lead hazards become personal injury claims? Some examples could include:

• A cable drum extension lead is left completely unwound and trailing through a walkway in an office, but there is no marking or rubber protector strip in place to cover it. An employee trips over this wire, and dislocates their shoulder when they fall. 
• The lead of a vacuum cleaner is left trailing over the top of a staircase while a cleaner hoovers the hallway. There are no warning signs, and a worker trips over this cord and falls down the stairs, suffering a head injury.
• A desk fan is balanced on top of a filing cabinet and powered using an extension lead plug, with the wire stretched out over a walkway. The employer of the workplace failed to undertake a risk assessment before putting it up and did not identify the potential hazards or potential risks. Because of this, an employee walks into the cord, causing the fan to fall on them and break their nose.

As you can see, you need to suffer an injury in order to form the basis of a valid workplace accident claim. Contact our team today for more information.

How To Claim If Injured By Trailing Lead Hazards

There are many steps involved in claiming injuries caused by tripping hazards, but one of the most important is collecting evidence. The right kinds of evidence should be able to illustrate:

• Who is responsible for your injuries
• How severe your injuries are
• What caused them
• If you suffered any financial losses

For example, the kinds of evidence that you could collect by yourself include:

• Photographs of your injuries or the accident site, like a wall socket or equipment cable
• Medical records, x-rays, and scans
• The contact details of witnesses
• CCTV footage of the accident
• Accident book logs

One of the many benefits that come with claiming with the help of a solicitor is that they can help you collect this evidence. Contact us today to find out how one of our expert trailing leads hazard solicitors could help you.

How Much Compensation From Slip and Fall Claims?

Personal injury compensation is usually split into two heads. The first head of compensation is called general damages, and this covers the pain and suffering you go through because of your injuries.

Under this heading, you can also get compensation for loss of amenity. This means loss of enjoyment. For example, if you broke your leg when you tripped and fell, this may mean you can’t enjoy sports or dance classes.

Below, you can find a table with some guideline compensation figures. These amounts have been lifted from the Judicial College Guidelines (JCG). This document is often used by professionals to help them value this head of accident at work compensation.

Please be aware that the first entry is not taken from the JCG, and that these numbers are not guaranteed.

Injury	Compensation Bracket
Multiple Severe Injuries + Special Damages	Up to £500,000+
Moderately Severe Brain Damage (b)	£267,340 to £344,150
Moderate Brain Damage (c) (i)	£183,190 to £267,340
Moderate Neck Injuries (b) (i)	£30,500 to £46,970
Severe Back Injuries (a) (i)	£111,150 to £196,450
Moderate Back Injuries (b) (i)	£33,880 to £47,320
Severe Injuries To The Hips And Pelvis (a) (i)	£95,680 to £159,770
Less Serious Leg Injuries (c)	£21,920 to £33,880
Serious Shoulder Injuries (b)	£15,580 to £23,430
Fractured Forearm (d)	£8,060 to £23,430

Can You Claim For Loss of Earnings As Part Of A Personal Injury Compensation Claim?

Yes, you can claim for loss of earnings and more under the second heading, known as special damages. Many people are unable to work after suffering an injury, and this time away can cause significant financial strain.

Under special damages you can claim back past, present, and future lost earnings, as well as the cost of:

• Childcare
• Travel
• Help with housekeeping
• Mobility aids
• Home adjustments
• Physiotherapy
• Prescriptions

However, you need to provide proof of your losses in order to claim them back. In light of this, we recommend keeping any relevant bills, receipts, or bank statements.

If you’d like to learn more about compensation payouts for injuries caused by a trailing leads hazard, get in touch with our helpful team today.

Claim For Injuries Caused By Trailing Lead Hazards On A No Win No Fee Basis

We understand that the accident at work claims process can be stressful, and you might not know where to start. Our team of legal professionals are specialists in accident at work law, and are here to help.

When you make a claim with a Legal Expert solicitor, they can help you:

• Collect evidence and support your accident at work claim
• Explain each step of the claims process and translate legal jargon
• Prepare your claim for court, if this is neccesary
• Communicate with the defendant, judge, and court
• Negotiate the settlement that you deserve

Our No Win No Fee solicitors work under a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA). This is a type of contract that allows you to access all of the benefits listed above, without having to:

• Pay an upfront fee for their work
• Pay for their continued services
• Pay for their work at all if the claim fails

If you make a successful claim, then your No Win No Fee solicitor will take a small percentage of your trailing leads hazard compensation as their success fee.

Contact Us

Our friendly team are here to help. We hope that our guide has answered all of your questions, but if there’s more you’d like to know, contact us today. A member of our team can offer you a free consultation, and if your case is valid, may connect you with one of our specialist accident at work solicitors.

Get started today by:

• Calling us on 0800 073 8804
• Using the live chat feature
• Contacting us online

Read More About Accident At Work Claims

For more helpful accident at work guides:

• Learn how to make a complaint to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) after an accident at work
• Read our guide to find out if you could make a claim for a serious injury in the workplace
• Our article offers more information on claiming for a lifting injury at work

Or, if you’d like more resources:

• Get general health and safety guidance from the HSE
• Learn about Statutory Sick Pay (SSP)
• Find out when to call 999 from the NHS

Thank you for reading our guide on trailing lead hazards.

As families prepare to jet off for summer holidays, some will have already been and returned. 

It’s no secret that holidays during schools are often considerably cheaper, leading some parents to take their children out of school with an ‘unauthorised absence.’ 

However, doing so will likely result in parents being hit with a hefty fine or even further action if it’s left unpaid. 

What’s more, this August 2024, will see the first rise in unauthorised pupil absence fines since 2012. 

Parents who flout the rules of term-time holidays could be hit with hefty fines of up to £160 if they take their child out of school for a term-time holiday from this summer.

As it stands, unauthorised absences can see parents issued with a £60 fine which increases to £120 per child if it is not paid within 21 days with a potential for prosecution for non-payment of 28 days. 

Whether or not a fine is issued or an alternative course of action is action is often dependent on the school and council area. 

How Legal Expert Can Help

Legal Expert boasts a team of experienced solicitors who specialise in a range of different areas of law, particularly claims against councils. We offer free advice and support via our helpline and live chat service. If you’d like to speak with us now, please get in touch.

How We Conducted Our Research Into Unauthorised Pupil Absence Fines

Following a number of inquiries from parents seeking clarification of the law and rules around unauthorised absences in their district, Legal Expert set out to investigate which councils are issuing fines to parents. 

We sent out Freedom of Information Requests to every Metropolitan and Unitary Council in England asking for the number of the fines for unauthorised pupil absences that have been issued in the last three years as well as the total sum.

We also asked, for the number of fines that were not paid within 21 days. Furthermore, LegalExpert enquired about any further action taken by the council following an unpaid fine.

Further action for unpaid fines could include; an Education Supervision Order, Community Order or even a Jail Order. 

In some instances, council’s referred us to the Government’s Parental Responsibility Measures Report for their latest statistics on fines issued. Where this was the case, we analysed the data accordingly. Any data collated from the these statistics are marked ‘Gov’.

Out of all 98 Metropolitan and Unitary Councils, 76% responded within the deadline.

See your local council’s statistics below:

Statistics On Unauthorised Pupil Absence Fines By Area

Jump to:

• Greater Manchester
• Merseyside
• North East
• South Yorkshire
• West Yorkshire
• Unitary Authorities

National Statistics

Metropolitan Councils

Barnsley Borough Council

No. of Fines Issued | Amount

2021/22: 1780 | £84,190.00

2022/23: 3126 | £141,300.05

2023/24: 3996 | £159.060.00

Increase of 124% between 2021/22 and 2023/24.

Total: 8902 | £225,490.05

No. not paid in 21 days: 1,822 (46%)

Further action: 1,060

Greater Manchester

 

Bury Council

No. of Fines Issued | Amount

2021/22: 826 | £42,360

2022/23: 1,866 | £89,520

2023/ June 24: 1,865 | £76,380

Increase of 126% between 2021/22 and 2023/24.

Total: 4557| £208,260

No. not paid in 21 days: 1,682 (37%)

Further action: 867

Rochdale Borough Council

No. of Fines Issued | Amount

2021/22: 574 | £8,280

2022/23: 3500 | £63,900

2023/24: 5250 | £229,860

Increase of 815% between 2021/22 and 2023/24.

Total: 9324| £302,040

No. not paid in 21 days: 902 (10%)

Further action: 407

Tameside Borough Council

No. of Fines Issued | Amount

2021/22: 1469 | £74,220

2022/23: 3670 | £188,940

2023/24: 3825 | £204,300

Increase of 175% between 2021/22 and 2023/24.

Total: 8964 | £467,460

No. not paid in 21 days: 418 (5%)

Further action: 0

Bolton Borough Council

2021/22: 3058 | £183,480

2022/23: 6657 | £399,420

2023/24: 7399 | £443,940

Increase of 141% between 2021/22 and 2023/24.

Total: 17114 | £1,026,840

No. not paid in 21 days: 587

Further action: 1784 referred for prosecution

Bury Borough Council

Penalty Notices Issued 

2021/22: 826

2022/23: 1,866

Prosecutions following non-payment of a penalty notice 

2021/22: 26

2022/23: 72

Manchester City Council

No. of Fines Issued | Amount

2021/22: 2362 | £93,198

2022/23: 9067| £484,707

2023/24: 9272 | £466,707

Increase of 293% between 2021/22 and 2023/24

Total: 20701 | £1,044,612

No. not paid in 21 days: 4562 (22%)

Further action: 2161 sent for prosecution

Oldham Borough Council

No. of Fines Issued | Amount

2021/22: 3348 | £87,005

2022/23: 4993| £237,005

2023/24: 6621 | £287,086

Increase of 98% between 2021/22 and 2023/24

Total: 14962 | £611,096

Salford City Council 

Penalty Notices Issued

2021/22: 2,225

2022/23: 3,403

Increase of 53%

Prosecutions following non-payment of a penalty notice

2021/22: 55

2022/23: 167

Stockport

2021/22: 807 | £48,420

2022/23: 1,713 | £102,780

2023/ June 24: 1,368| £82,080

Increase of 112% between 2021/22 and 2022/23.

Total: 3,888 | £233,280

No. not paid in 21 days: 565

Further Action (Prosecution in Magistrates Court under section 444(1) Education Act): 592

Trafford

Penalty Notices Issued

2021/22: 663

2022/23: 1,041

Increase 57%

Prosecutions following non-payment of a penalty notice

2021/22: 2

2022/23: 0

Wigan

2021/22: 191 | £7,080

2022/23: 653| £31,440

2023/ June 24: 560| £28,140

Increase of 242% between 2021/22 and 2022/23.

Total: 1,404 | £60,660

No. not paid in 21 days: 351

Further Action (Prosecution in Magistrates Court under section 444(1) Education Act): 108

Merseyside

Liverpool City Council

Penalty Notices Issued 

2021/22: 1,714

2022/23: 4,271

Prosecutions following non-payment of a penalty notice 

2021/22: 94

2022/23: 363

Sefton Borough Council

Penalty Notices Issued 

2021/22: 1,878

2022/23: 1,692

Prosecutions following non-payment of a penalty notice 

2021/22: 168

2022/23: 98

Knowsley Borough Council

Penalty Notices Issued 

2021/22: 174

2022/23: 464

Prosecutions following non-payment of a penalty notice 

2021/22: 20

2022/23: 72

St. Helen’s Borough Council

Penalty Notices Issued 

2021/22: 285

2022/23: 308

Increase of 8%

Prosecutions following non-payment of a penalty notice 

2021/22: 53

2022/23: 38

Wirral Borough Council

Penalty Notices Issued 

2021/22: 1,639

2022/23: 2,791

Increase of 70%

Prosecutions following non-payment of a penalty notice 

2021/22: 116

2022/23: 409

North East Councils

Durham County Council

No. of Fines Issued | Amount

2021/22: 1,023 | £10,860

2022/23: 1,517| £70,170

2023/24: 1,701| £91,118

Increase of 739% between 2021/22 and 2023/24

Total: 4,241 | £172,148

No. not paid in 21 days: 848 (20%)

Further action: 696 sent for prosecution

Newcastle Upon Tyne City Council

No. of Fines Issued | Amount

2021/22: 26 | £1,560

2022/23: 127| £7,620

2023/24: 254| £15,240

Increase of 877% between 2021/22 and 2023/24

Total: 407 | £24,420

No. not paid in 21 days: 344 (85%)

Further action: 144 sent for prosecution

Northumberland County Council

No. of Fines Issued | Amount

2021/22: 200 | £8,280

2022/23: 933| £42,120

2023/24: 1,222| £49,800

Increase of 511% between 2021/22 and 2023/24

Total: 2355 | £100,200

No. not paid in 21 days: 140 (6%)

Further action: 189 sent for prosecution

South Tyneside Council

No. of Fines Issued | Amount

2021/22: 1,286 | £55,560

2022/23: 1,904 | £88,620

2023/24: 1,822 | £71,080

Increase of 48% between 2021/22 and 2022/23

Total: 5012 | £215,260

No. not paid in 21 days: 173

Further action: 914 Proceeded to court

Darlington Borough Council

Penalty Notices Issued 

2021/22: 752

2022/23: 932

Increase of 24%

Prosecutions following non-payment of a penalty notice 

2021/22: 84

2022/23: 82

Gateshead Borough Council

No. of Fines Issued | Amount

2021/22: 186 | £960

2022/23: 325 | £10,680

2023/24: 323| £19,800

Increase of 74% between 2021/22 and 2022/23

Total: 834 | £31,440

Further action: 103 Prosecution following no payment

Hartlepool Borough Council

Penalty Notices Issued 

2021/22: 128

2022/23: 185

Increase of 45%

Prosecutions following non-payment of a penalty notice 

2021/22: 30

2022/23: 37

Middlesborough Borough Council

Penalty Notices Issued 

2021/22: 904

2022/23: 2,026

Increase of 124%

Prosecutions following non-payment of a penalty notice 

2021/22: 154

2022/23: 369

North Tyneside Borough Council

Penalty Notices Issued 

2021/22: 575

2022/23: 731

Increase of 27%

Prosecutions following non-payment of a penalty notice 

2021/22: 21

2022/23: 17

Stockton-On-Tees Borough Council

Penalty Notices Issued 

2021/22: 1,490

2022/23: 2,293

Increase of 54%

Prosecutions following non-payment of a penalty notice 

2021/22: 55

2022/23: 24

Sunderland City Council

Penalty Notices Issued 

2021/22: 339

2022/23: 274

Prosecutions following non-payment of a penalty notice 

2021/22: 89

2022/23: 52

South Yorkshire Councils

Barnsley Borough Council

No. of Fines Issued | Amount

2021/22: 1780 | £84,190.00

2022/23: 3126 | £141,300.05

2023/24: 3996 | £159.060.00

Increase of 124% between 2021/22 and 2023/24.

Total: 8902 | £225,490.05

No. not paid in 21 days: 1,822 (46%)

Further action: 1,060

Doncaster Borough Council

Penalty Notices Issued 

2021/22: 2,637

2022/23: 6,779

Increase of 157%

Prosecutions following non-payment of a penalty notice 

2021/22: 180

2022/23: 187

Rotherham Borough Council

No. of Fines Issued | Amount

2021/22: 803 | £23,766

2022/23: 2,684 | £111,733

2023/24: 2,803 | £180,934

Increase of 249% between 2021/22 and 2023/24

Total: 6290 | £316,433

No. not paid in 21 days: 947 (15%)

Further action: 149 Prosecutions following non-payment of penalty fines

Sheffield City Council

No. of Fines Issued | Amount

2021/22: 3387 | £186,480

2022/23: 4248 | £235,860

2023/24: 2840 | £154,860

Increase of 25% between 2021/22 and 2022/23

Total: 10475 | £577,200

No. not paid in 21 days: 1210 (12%)

Further action: 0

West Yorkshire Councils

Bradford City Council

No. of Fines Issued | Amount

2021/22: 3425 | £205,500

2022/23: 11960 | £368,261

2023/24: 12634 | £341,146

Increase of 269% between 2021/22 and 2023/24.

Total: 28019 | £914,907

No. not paid in 21 days: 5204 (19%)

Further action: 0

Calderdale Borough Council

No. of Fines Issued | Amount

2021/22: 1672 | £51,300

2022/23: 2457 | £143,720

2023/24: 2529 | £102,850

Increase of 51% between 2021/22 and 2023/24

Total: 6658 | £297,870

No. not paid in 21 days: 350

Further Action: 585 Fined

Coventry City Council

No. of Fines Issued | Amount

2021/22: 2,303 | £97,335

2022/23: 4,092 | £184,467

2023/24: 3,753 | £174,530

Increase of 78% between 2021/22 and 2022/23

Total: 10,148 | £456,332

No. not paid in 21 days: 559 (19%)

Kirklees Borough Council

No. of Fines Issued | Amount

2021/22: 1500 | £84,920

2022/23: 4378 | £253,200

2023/24: 5805| £328,201

Increase of 287% between 2021/22 and 2022/23

Total: 11683 | £666,321

No. not paid in 21 days: 1779 (15%)

Further action: 532 Court Fines

Leeds City Council

Penalty Notices Issued 

2021/22: 5,192

2022/23: 7,046

Increase of 36%

Prosecutions following non-payment of a penalty notice 

2021/22: 230

2022/23: 188

Wakefield City Council

No. of Fines Issued | Amount

2021/22: 1776 | £106,500

2022/23: 5661 | £339,660

2023/24: 7512 | £450,720

Increase of 323% between 2021/22 and 2023/24

Total: 14949 | £896,880

No. not paid in 21 days: 3861 (26%)

Further action: 0

York (City of Council)

Penalty Notices Issued 

2021/22: 381

2022/23: 1,126

Prosecutions following non-payment of a penalty notice 

2021/22: 2

2022/23: 5

Increase of 196% in number of fines issued.

Sandwell Borough Council

No. of Fines Issued | Amount

2021/22: 956 | £50,280

2022/23: 2718 | £148,500

2023/24: 3538 | £164,699

Increase of 270% between 2021/22 and 2023/24

Total: 7212 | £363,479

No. not paid in 21 days: 982 (14%)

Further action: 0

Wolverhampton (City of) Council

No. of Fines Issued | Amount

2021/22: 1102 | £26,414.00

2022/23: 2521 | £101,863.00

2023/24: 2354 | £145,980

Increase of 114% between 2021/22 and 2023/24

Total: 5977 | £274,257.00

No. not paid in 21 days: 295 (5%)

Further action: 295 Prosecutions following non-payment of penalty fines

Walsall Borough Council

No. of Fines Issued | Amount

2021/22: 813 | £48,780.00

2022/23: 1,740 | £104,400.00

2023/24: 4,088 | £245,280.00

Increase of 403% between 2021/22 and 2023/24

Total: 6641 | £398,460.00

No. not paid in 21 days: 636 (10%)

Further action: 137 Prosecutions following non-payment of penalty fines 

Unitary Authorities

Blackpool Council

Blackpool Council has issued £486K worth of fines to parents for unauthorised pupil absences since 2021 with figures rising year on year.

Our investigation revealed a 56% rise in the number of fines issued to Blackpool parents in the last three years with £190,680 worth of fines handed out in a 12-month-period.

Between 2021/22, 960 penalty notices were issued to parents for unauthorised absences, rising to 1,589 the following year.

This year so far, 1,498 fines have been issued totalling £179,760 – LegalExpert has found. 

Parents who don’t pay the fine in time, can be subjected to further action which could include an Education Supervision Order, Community Order or even a Jail Order. 

In Blackpool, there have been 540 non-paid fines that resulted in further action in the last three years. 

Between 2021/22, 107 unpaid penalties had further consequences, rising to 245 the following year. So far this academic year, 188 non-paid fines have resulted in further action.

Bath and North East Somerset Council

No. of Fines Issued | Amount

2021/22: 551 | £27,360

2022/23: 719 | £39,720

2023/24: 974 | £46,020

Increase of 77% between 2021/22 and 2023/24.

Total: 2244 | £113,100

No. not paid in 21 days: 392 (17%)

Further action: 173 Not paid and preparation for legal action via the courts

Bedford Borough Council

No. of Fines Issued 

2021/22: 438 (Gov.)

2022/23: 432 (Gov.)

Value of Fines Issued

2021/22: £14,880

2022/23: £27,300

2023/24: £54,060

Total Amount: £96,240

Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council

No. of Fines Issued | Amount

2021/22: 1737 | £37,785

2022/23: 2782 | £126,520

2023/24: 2583 | £153,709

Increase of 49% between 2021/22 and 2023/24.

Total: 7102 | £318,014

No. not paid in 21 days: 710 (10%)

Further action: 445

Brighton and Hove City Council

No. of Fines Issued | Amount

2021/22: 755 | £58,320

2022/23: 1,948 | £143,280

2023/24: 2,522 | £185,820

Increase of 234% between 2021/22 and 2023/24.

Total: 5225 | £387,420

No. not paid in 21 days: 1233 (24%)

Further action: 101

Buckinghamshire Council

No. of Fines Issued | Amount

2021/22: 797 | £47,820

2022/23: 1,412 | £84,720

2023/24: 2,126 | £127,560

Increase of 167% between 2021/22 and 2023/24.

Total: 4335 | £260,100

No. not paid in 21 days: 856 (20%)

Further action: 31

Cheshire East Council

No. of Fines Issued | Amount

2021/22: 1167 | £48,660

2022/23: 1366 | £50,600

2023/24: 1945 | £87,960

Increase of 81% between 2021/22 and 2023/24.

Total: 4478 | £187,220

No. not paid in 21 days: 1384 (31%)

Further action: 0

Dorset Council

No. of Fines Issued | Amount

2021/22: 146 | £5,040.00

2022/23: 1380 | £44,220.00

2023/24: 2177 | £93,180.00

Increase of 1391% between 2021/22 and 2023/24

Total: 3703 | £142,440.00

No. not paid in 21 days: 30

Further action: 0

East Riding Council

No. of Fines Issued | Amount

2021/22: 1623 | £77,940

2022/23: 3496 | £82,560

2023/24: 2506 | £101,880

Increase of 115% between 2021/22 and 2022/23

Total: 7625 | £262,380

No. not paid in 21 days: 1174 (15%)

Further action: 30 Magistraties Court, Fine

Halton Borough Council

No. of Fines Issued | Amount

2021/22: 751 | £12,180

2022/23: 924 | £35,040

2023/24: 432 | £33,480

Increase of 23% between 2021/22 and 2022/23

Total: 2107 | £80,700

No. not paid in 21 days: 906 (43%)

Further action: 534 (Sent to EWS [Education Welfare System] for Prosecution)

Hull City Council

No. of Fines Issued | Amount

2021/22: 1,572 | £52,470

2022/23: 2,424| £87,660

2023/24: 2,542 | £100,800

Increase of 62% between 2021/22 and 2023/24

Total: 6,538 | £240,930

No. not paid in 21 days: 2444 (37%)

Further Action: 1413

Leicester City Council

No. of Fines Issued | Amount

2021/22: 1228 | £65,700.00

2022/23: 6052| £355,290.00

2023/24: 6256 | £365,880.00

Increase of 409% between 2021/22 and 2023/24

Total: 13536 | £786,870.00

No. not paid in 21 days: 1171 (9%)

Further Action: 0

Medway Council

No. of Fines Issued | Amount

2021/22: 1,740| £83,040

2022/23: 3419| £163,860

2023/24: 2563| £97,320

Increase of 96% between 2021/22 and 2022/23

Total: 7,722| £344,220

No. not paid in 21 days: 1165 (15%)

Further Action: 294 cases referred to court

Peterborough City Council

No. of Fines Issued | Amount

2021/22: 1,483 | £71,340

2022/23: 3,545| £179,480

2023/24: 4,220 | £209,880

Increase of 185% between 2021/22 and 2023/24

Total: 9,248 | £460,700

No. not paid in 21 days: 289

Further Action: 791

No. of Fines Issued | Amount

2021/22: 1,237 | £74,220

2022/23: 2,096| £125,760

2023/24: 1,583 | £94,980

Increase of 69% between 2021/22 and 2022/23

Total: 4916 | £294,960

No. not paid in 21 days: 879 (18%)

Further Action: 394 Prosecuted

Reading Borough Council

No. of Fines Issued | Amount

2021/22: 402 | £21,480

2022/23: 739 | £39,380

2023/24: 607 | £30,840

Increase of 84% between 2021/22 and 2022/23.

Total: 1749| £91,700

No. not paid in 21 days: 332 (19%)

Further Action: 15 Prosecutions

Redcar and Cleveland Council

No. of Fines Issued | Amount

2021/22: 442 | £12,940.90

2022/23: 1097 | £46,485.00

2023/24: 1294 | £65,584.00

Increase of 407% between 2021/22 and 2023/24.

Total: 2833 | £125,009.90

No. not paid in 21 days: 20

Further Action: 167 Fined and 28 Conditional Discharge

Somerset Council

No. of Fines Issued

2021/22: 879

2022/23: 1799

Increase of 105%

Prosecutions following non-payment of a penalty notice 

2021/22: 59

2022/23: 64

Slough Borough Council

No. of Fines Issued | Amount

2021/22: 1407 | £60,780

2022/23: 1753 | £90,000

2023/24: 1641 | £86,000

Increase of 48% between 2021/22 and 2022/23

Total: 4801 | £236,780

No. not paid in 21 days: 381+ (*Data for 2021/22 not available due to ‘change in recording and reporting functions)

Further Action: 1

Thurrock Council

No. of Fines Issued | Amount

2021/22: 1008 | £120,960

2022/23: 1751 | £210,120

2023/24: 1496 | £179,520

Increase of 48% between 2021/22 and 2023/24.

Total: 4255 | £510,600

No. not paid in 21 days: 410 (10%)

Further Action: Conditional Discharge (30), Prosecutions for non payment (84)

Torbay Council

No. of Fines Issued | Amount

2021/22: 234 | £7,200

2022/23: 584 | £28,440

2023/24: 756 | £31,380

Increase of 223% between 2021/22 and 2023/24.

Total: 1574 | £67,020

No. not paid in 21 days: 98 (6%)

Further Action: 218 Prosecutions for unpaid fines

West Northamptonshire Council

No. of Fines Issued | Amount

2021/22: 395 | £31,080

2022/23: 1492 | £120,780

2023/24: 1427 | £114,960

Increase of 261% between 2021/22 and 2023/24

Total: 3314 | £266,820

No. not paid in 21 days: 2252 (68%)

Wokingham Council

No. of Fines Issued | Amount

2021/22: 303 | £17,040

2022/23: 1172 | £64,440

2023/24: 1315 | £74,160

Increase of 334% between 2021/22 and 2023/24

Total: 2790 | £155,640

No. not paid in 21 days: 37

Further Action: 41

Around 4,000 house fires across the UK every year are caused by faulty electrics, according to the Home Office.

Appliances, wiring and overloaded sockets have the potential to destroy properties and cause serious damage.

Recently, JF Law (of which Legal Expert trades under) secured a six-figure settlement for a mum whose two children were killed in a devastating house fire in Cambridgeshire in December 2022. 

The mother, Jade Horton – shattered major bones in her body – including both her legs after leaping from a second-storey window to escape the blaze. 

Her two children, Isaac, aged 3 and Sienna, aged 7 did not survive. 

In March 2022, an inquest heard how a ‘perfect storm of bad luck’ effectively created a chimney in the home allowing the fire to spread rapidly from three-year-old, Isaac’s first-floor bedroom – up the staircase and into the bedroom of seven-year-old Sienna. 

Fire Investigation Officer from Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service, Peter Jones explained to the court how on the balance of probabilities, the fire started in the first floor bedroom, from an electronic device at the foot of Isaac’s bed thought to be a TV.

Through rigorous investigation, Head of Serious Injury and Multi Track at JF Law, Clare Morris has managed to finally secure a settlement for the grieving mum.

She said: “This is the most tragic case I’ve ever dealt with. I am deeply honoured to have been able to assist in this small way and to have helped Jade get the result she so deeply deserves.

“Nothing can replace what she has lost but I hope settling the claims brings some peace and comfort.”

Ms Morris, of JF Law, had noticed that at the 2022 inquest, fire investigator Mr Jones had mentioned that officers had found a screen frame in the debris at the seat of the fire. 

Following enquiries with the police, it was established that the screen frame and some components of the “electrical product” were held in evidence.

An engineer was then instructed to collect and inspect the remnants to establish whether it was indeed a television and if so, who the manufacturer was. 

After some initial resistance, the manufacturer of the television agreed to compensate Jade and negotiations resulted in a six-figure settlement. 

How Legal Expert Can Help You

Legal Expert has a team of specialist personal injury solicitors who are experienced in electrical fire claims. If you’d like free advice and support and to check if you can claim personal injury compensation, get in touch with us for free using the number at the top of this page, or send us a message via our live chat.

How We Conducted Our Research Into Electrical House Fires

The incident prompted Legal Expert to conduct an investigation into Electrical Fires across the UK. 

We sent Freedom of Information Requests to 50 Fire and Rescue Services nationwide, asking for the number of electrical fires in domestic properties in the last three years as well as, how many were caused by electrical products. 

Legal Expert also enquired as to the most common products to cause electrical fires in the home as well as the number of fatalities and injuries the fire service has recorded as a result of such fires in the last three years. 

See the results broken down by local Fire and Rescue Service below:

Statistics on Electrical House Fires In Every UK Area

Jump to:

• London
• North East
• North West
• Yorkshire
• East Midlands
• West Midlands
• South East
• East of England
• South West
• Wales
• Northern Ireland

London

London Fire Brigade

Number of electrical fires in the home

2021 – 2719

2022 – 2650

2023 – 2565

2024 – 1279

Total: 9213

Top Five Appliance Causes | Total Fires Caused

1. Faulty fuel supplies – Electricity | 3,729
2. Cooking – other cooking | 2,964
3. Fault in equipment or appliance | 2,663
4. Combustible articles too close to
   heat source (or fire) | 1,089
5. Overheating, unknown cause | 971

Fatalities and Injuries (From Electrical Fires Only) 

(Between April 6 – April 5 2021/24)

Fatalities: 25

Injuries: 1081

North East

Humberside Fire and Rescue Service

Number of electrical fires in the home

(Between April 6 – April 5)

2021/22 – 163

2022/23 – 143

20223/23 – 151

Total: 457

Top Five Appliance Causes | Total Fires Caused

1. Electricity supply – Wiring, cabling, plugs| 190
2. Cooker incl. oven | 101
3. Tumble Dryer| 57
4. Electricity supply – Apparatus – batteries, generators | 39
5. Other appliance or equipment | 35

Fatalities and Injuries 

(Between April 6 – April 5 2021/24)

Fatalities: 0

Injuries: 74

Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service

Number of electrical fires in the home

(Between April 6 – April 5)

2021/22 – 297

2022/23 – 298

20223/23 – 304

Total: 899

Top Five Appliance Causes | Total Fires Caused

1. Cooker incl. oven| 391
2. Tumble Dryer| 54
3. Grill/Toaster| 46
4. Microwave| 41
5. Washing Machine| 34

Fatalities and Injuries 

(Between April 6 – April 5 2021/24)

Fatalities: 1

Injuries: 12

North West

Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service

Number of electrical fires in the home

(Between April 6 – April 5)

2021/22 – 86

2022/23 – 86

20223/23 – 92

Top Five Appliance Causes | Total Fires Caused

1. Electricity supply – wiring, cabling plugs | 175
2. Electricity Supply – Apparatus – batteries, generators | 46
3. Other domestic style appliances – tumble dryer | 24
4. Other domestic style appliances – Fridge/Freezer | 14
5. Electric Lighting – Other Lights | 12

Fatalities and Injuries 

(Between April 6 – April 5 2021/24)

Fatalities: 3

Serious Injuries: 1

Slight Injuries: 10

Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service

Number of electrical fires in the home

(Between April 6 – April 5)

2021/22 – 759

2022/23 – 903

20223/23 – 945

Total: 2607

Fatalities and Injuries 

(Between April 6 – April 5 2021/24)

Fatalities: 5

Injuries: 769

Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service

Number of electrical fires in the home

(Between April 6 – April 5)

2021/22 – 502

2022/23 – 454

20223/23 – 444

Total: 1400

Top Five Appliance Causes | Total Fires Caused

• Cooking appliance – Cooker incl. oven
• Electricity supply – Apparatus – batteries, generators
• Cooking appliance – Ring/hot place (separate appliance)
• Cooking appliance – Grill/Toaster
• Electricity supply – Wiring, cabling, plugs

Fatalities and Injuries 

(Between April 6 – April 5 2021/24)

Fatalities: 5

Injuries:

• Victim went to hospital, injuries appear to be Serious | 16
• Victim went to hospital, injuries appear to be Slight | 23

Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service

Number of electrical fires in the home

(Between April 6 – April 5)

2021/22 – 516

2022/23 – 449

20223/23 – 445

Total: 1410

Top Five Appliance Causes | Total Fires Caused (Between 2021/24)

1. Cooking appliance – Cooker incl oven| 475
2. Electricity supply – Wiring, cabling, plugs | 273
3. Cooking appliance – Grill/toaster | 132
4. Cooking appliance – Ring/hot plate (separate appliance) | 130
5. Cooking appliance – Microwave oven | 69

Fatalities and Injuries 

(Between April 6 – April 5 2021/24)

Fatalities: 4

Serious Injuries: 24

Slight Injuries: 98

Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service

Number of electrical fires in the home

(Between April 6 – April 5)

2021/22 – 295

2022/23 – 445

20223/23 – 440

Total: 1180

Top Five Appliance Causes | Total Fires Caused

1. Cooker incl. oven | 558
2. Wiring, cabling, plugs| 377
3. Microwave Oven| 137
4. Grill/Toaster| 96
5. Tumble Dryer| 82

Fatalities and Injuries 

(Between April 6 – April 5 2021/24)

Fatalities: 4

Injury: 36

Yorkshire

South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service

Number of electrical fires in the home

(Between 2021-2024)

2021/22 – 410

2022/23 – 350

20223/23 – 367

Total: 1,127

Top Five Appliance Causes | Total Fires Caused 

1. Cooker Inc. Oven | 450
2. Wiring, Cabling, Plugs | 293
3. Microwave Oven | 74
4. Ring or Hot Plate | 81
5. Grill/ Toaster| 48

Fatalities and Injuries 

(Between April 6 – April 5 2021/24)

Fatalities: 4

Injuries (Serious/Slight): 171

West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service

Number of electrical fires in the home

(Between April 6 – April 5)

2021/22 – 124

2022/23 – 145

20223/23 – 116

Total: 385

Top Five Appliance Causes | Total Fires Caused 

1. Tumble Dryer| 59
2. Other Domestic Style Appliance| 34
3. Washing Machine| 31
4. Fridge/Freezer| 17
5. Other Heating Equipment | 9

Fatalities and Injuries 

(Between April 6 – April 5 2021/24)

Fatalities: 1

Injuries (Hospital): 58

Injuries (First Aid): 41

East Midlands

Derbyshire Fire and Rescue Service

Number of electrical fires in the home

(Between April 6 – April 5)

2021/22 – 99

2022/23 – 98

20223/23 – 119

Total: 316

Top Five Appliance Causes | Total Fires Caused

1. Wiring, cabling plugs | 222
2. Electrical Fault | 119
3. Apparatus – Batteries/Generators| 76
4. Tumble Dryer | 55
5. Fluorescent Lights | 18

Fatalities and Injuries 

(Between April 6 – April 5 2021/24)

Fatalities: 6

Injuries: 16

Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service

Number of electrical fires in the home

(Between April 6 – April 5)

2021/22 – 119

2022/23 – 136

20223/23 – 140

Total: 395

Top Five Appliance Causes | Total Fires Caused

1. Wiring, cabling plugs | 143
2. Grill/Toaster | 44
3. Tumble Dryer| 39
4. Apparatus – Batteries/Generators | 37
5. Microwave Oven | 25

Fatalities and Injuries 

(Between April 6 – April 5 2021/24)

Fatalities: 2

Injuries: 29

Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue Service

Number of electrical fires in the home

(Between April 6 – April 5)

2021/22 – 189

2022/23 – 166

20223/23 – 180

Total: 535

Top Five Appliance Causes | Total Fires Caused

1. Cooking appliance – Cooker inc. oven | 191
2. Electricity supply – Wiring, cabling, plus | 116
3. Cooking appliance – Ring/ hot plate (separate appliance)| 54
4. Other domestic style appliance – Tumble dryer | 46
5. Cooking appliance – Microwave oven | 45

Fatalities and Injuries 

(Between April 6 – April 5 2021/24)

Fatalities: 2

Injuries: 129

Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service

Number of electrical fires in the home

(Between April 6 – April 5)

2021/22 – 142

2022/23 – 133

20223/23 – 139

Total: 414

Top Five Appliance Causes

• Extractor fan
• Dishwasher
• Refrigerator
• Tumble dryer
• Washing machine

Fatalities and Injuries 

(Between April 6 – April 5 2021/24)

Fatalities: 0

Total Casualties: 23

West Midlands

Hereford & Worcester Fire and Rescue Service

Number of electrical fires in the home

(Between April 6 – April 5)

2021/22 – 109

2022/23 – 104

20223/23 – 105

Total: 318

Top Five Appliance Causes | Total Fires Caused

1. Tumble Dryer| 32
2. Apparatus, batteries, generators | 44
3. Washing machine| 18
4. Cooker | 7
5. Fridge/Freezer | 7

Fatalities and Injuries 

(Between April 6 – April 5 2021/24)

Fatalities: 2

Injuries: Precautionary check recommended (10), First aid given at the scene (5), Victim went to hospitals injuries appeared to be slight (13)

Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service

Number of electrical fires in the home

(Between April 6 – April 5)

2021/22 – 119

2022/23 – 125

20223/23 – 138

Total: 382

Top Five Appliance Causes | Total Fires Caused

• Cooking appliance-Cooker incl. oven
• Electricity supply-Wiring, cabling, plugs
• Cooking appliance-Grill/Toaster
• Cooking appliance-Microwave oven
• Electricity supply-Apparatus – batteries, generators

Fatalities and Injuries 

(Between April 6 – April 5 2021/24)

Fatalities: 3

Slight Injuries: 0

Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service

Number of electrical fires in the home

(Between April 6 – April 5)

2021/22 – 295

2022/23 – 445

20223/23 – 440

Total: 1,180

Top Five Appliance Causes | Total Fires Caused

• Cooker incl. oven | 558
• Wiring, Cabling and Plugs | 377
• Grill/Toaster | 135
• Microwave Oven | 67
• Tumble Dryer | 51

Fatalities and Injuries 

(Between April 6 – April 5 2021/24)

Fatalities: 4

Injuries: 36

Warwickshire Fire and Rescue Service

Number of electrical fires in the home

(Between April 6 – April 5)

2021/22 – 36

2022/23 – 54

20223/23 – 51

Total: 141

Top Five Appliance Causes | Total Fires Caused

1. Wiring, Cabling, Plugs| 27
2. Tumble Dryer| 17
3. Dishwasher| 4
4. Microwave| 4
5. Cooker| 3

Fatalities and Injuries 

(Between April 6 – April 5 2021/24)

Fatalities: 0

Slight Injuries: 15

South East

East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service

Number of electrical fires in the home

(Between April 6 – April 5)

2021/22 – 321

2022/23 – 247

20223/23 – 316

Total: 884

Top Five Appliance Causes | Total Fires Caused

1. Cooker incl. oven | 293
2. Ring/hot plate (separate appliance) | 98
3. Microwave Oven | 66
4. Grill/Toaster | 49
5. Electric Lighting | 14

Fatalities and Injuries 

(Between April 6 – April 5 2021/24)

Fatalities: 1

Serious Injuries: 5

Slight Injuries: 39

Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service

Number of electrical fires in the home

(Between April 6 – April 5)

2021/22 – 143

2022/23 – 128

20223/23 – 139

Total: 410

Top Five Appliance Causes | Total Fires Caused

• Cooker incl. oven
• Fluorescent lights
• Extractor Fan
• Fridge/Freezer
• Tumble dryer

Fatalities and Injuries 

(Between April 6 – April 5 2021/24)

Fatalities: 4

Injuries:

• Victim went to hospital, injuries appear to be Serious 0
• Victim went to hospital, injuries appear to be Slight 3
• First aid given at scene 12
• Precautionary check recommended

Kent Fire and Rescue Service

Number of electrical fires in the home

(Between April 6 – April 5)

2021/22 – 316

2022/23 – 363

20223/23 – 312

Total: 991

Top Five Appliance Causes | Total Fires Caused

1. Cooker incl. oven | 289
2. Wiring, cabling, plugs | 264
3. Tumble dryer | 98
4. Ring/hot plate (separate appliance) | 88
5. Grill/Toaster | 64

Fatalities and Injuries 

(Between April 6 – April 5 2021/24)

Fatalities: 5 or fewer

Injuries: 109

Surrey Fire and Rescue Service

Number of electrical fires in the home

(Between April 6 – April 5)

2021/22 – 305

2022/23 – 255

20223/23 – 276

Total: 836

Top Five Appliance Causes | Total Fires Caused

1. Cooker Inc. Oven | 294
2. Wiring, Cabling and Plugs | 308
3. Apparatus – Batteries/Generators | 102
4. Ring/Hot Plate | 72
5. Grill/ Toaster | 47

Fatalities and Injuries 

(Between April 6 – April 5 2021/24)

Fatalities: 0

Slight Injuries: 149

West Sussex Fire and Rescue Service

Number of electrical fires in the home

(Between April 6 – April 5)

2021/22 – 43

2022/23 – 38

20223/23 – 45

Total: 126

Top Five Appliance Causes | Total Fires Caused

1. Faulty fuel supply – electricity | 65
2. Fault in equipment or appliance | 32
3. Overheating, unknown cause | 21
4. Faulty leads to equipment or appliance | 4
5. Negligent use of equipment or appliance (heat source) | 4

Fatalities and Injuries 

(Between April 6 – April 5 2021/24)

Fatalities: 1

Slight Injuries: 5

East of England

Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service

Number of electrical fires in the home

(Between April 6 – April 5)

2021/22 – 183

2022/23 – 193

20223/23 – 209

Top Five Appliance Causes | Total Fires Caused

1. Wiring, cabling plugs | 254
2. Cooker incl. oven | 188
3. Electrical Fault | 172
4. Apparatus – batteries, generators| 104
5. Ring/hot plate (separate appliance) | 59

Fatalities and Injuries 

(Between April 6 – April 5 2021/24)

Fatalities: 5

Injuries: 80

Essex County Fire & Rescue Service

Number of electrical fires in the home

(Between 2021-2024)

2021/22 – 357

2022/23 – 352

20223/23 – 347

Total: 1,056

Norfolk Fire and Rescue Service

Number of electrical fires in the home

(Between April 6 – April 5)

2021/22 – 246

2022/23 – 288

20223/23 – 319

Total: 853

Top Five Appliance Causes | Total Fires Caused

1. Cooker Incl. oven
2. Wiring/Cables/plugs
3. Electrical Fault
4. Ring or Hotplate
5. Microwave

Fatalities and Injuries 

(Between April 6 – April 5 2021/24)

Fatalities: Less than 5

Injured (incl. rescue with injury): 54

Rescued (rescue with injury): 38

Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue Service

Number of electrical fires in the home

(Between April 6 – April 5)

2021/22 – 123

2022/23 – 108

20223/23 – 90

Total: 321

Top Five Appliance Causes | Total Fires Caused

1. Wiring, Cabling, Plugs | 118
2. Washing Machine | 32
3. Cooker Incl. Oven| 27
4. Tumble Dryer | 26
5. Fridge/Freezer | 10

Fatalities and Injuries 

(Between April 6 – April 5 2021/24)

Fatalities: 1

Injuries: 25

Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service

Number of electrical fires in the home

(Between April 6 – April 5)

2021/22 – 233

2022/23 – 202

20223/23 – 216

Total: 651

Top Five Appliance Causes | Total Fires Caused

1. Cooker incl oven | 268
2. Wiring, Cabling , Plugs| 164
3. Electrical Fault| 160
4. Ring/Hot Plate| 78
5. Tumble Dryer| 37

Fatalities and Injuries 

(Between April 6 – April 5 2021/24)

Fatalities: 3

Injury (Incl. rescue with injury): 206

Rescued (Rescue without injury): 2

South West

Cornwall Fire and Rescue Service

Number of electrical fires in the home

(Between April 6 – April 5)

2021/22 – 33

2022/23 – 28

20223/23 – 35

Top Five Appliance Causes | Total Fires Caused

1. Heater/Fire| 6
2. Extractor Fan| 3
3. Tumble Dryer| 3
4. Dishwasher| 3
5. Washing Machine | 3

Fatalities and Injuries 

(Between April 6 – April 5 2021/24)

Fatalities: 0

Injuries: 2

Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service

Number of electrical fires in the home

(Between April 6 – April 5)

2021/22 – 168

2022/23 – 186

20223/23 – 175

Total: 529

Top Five Appliance Causes | Total Fires Caused

• Tumble Dryer
• Washing Machine
• Fluorescent Lights
• Fridge/Freezer
• Dishwasher

Fatalities and Injuries 

(Between April 6 – April 5 2021/24)

Fatalities: 1

Serious Injurie: 1

Slight Injuries: 40

Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service

Number of electrical fires in the home

(Between April 6 – April 5)

2021/22 – 163

2022/23 – 153

20223/23 – 162

Total: 478

Top Five Appliance Causes | Total Fires Caused

1. Electricity supply – Wiring, cabling, plugs| 169
2. Electricity supply – Apparatus – batteries,
   generators| 34
3. Other domestic style appliance – Tumble dryer| 27
4. Other domestic style appliance – Washing
   machine| 25
5. Other appliance or equipment | 13

Fatalities and Injuries 

(Between April 6 – April 5 2021/24)

Injuries: 22

Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue Service

Number of electrical fires in the home

(Between April 6 – April 5)

2021/22 – 178

2022/23 – 180

20223/23 – 180

Top Five Appliance Causes 

1. Cooker incl. oven
2. Wiring, cabling, plugs
3. Microwave oven
4. Electrical Fault
5. Apparatus – batteries, generators

Fatalities and Injuries 

(Between April 6 – April 5 2021/24)

Fatalities: 2

Injuries: 131

Wales

Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service

Number of electrical fires in the home

(Between April 6 – April 5)

2021/22 – 313

2022/23 – 276

20223/23 – 286

Total: 875

Top Five Appliance Causes | Total Fires Caused

1. Cooker incl oven | 297
2. Wiring, Cabling , Plugs| 164
3. Ring/Hot Plate| 90
4. Tumble Dryer| 70
5. Apparatus – batteries/generators | 51

Fatalities and Injuries 

(Between April 6 – April 5 2021/24)

Fatalities: 7

Electrical Fires Attended Casualties: 91

North Wales Fire and Rescue Service

Number of electrical fires in the home

(Between April 6 – April 5)

2021/22 – 261

2022/23 – 227

20223/23 – 225

Total: 713

Top Five Appliance Causes | Total Fires Caused

1. Cooker incl. oven | 335
2. Tumble Dryers| 53
3. Microwave Oven| 49
4. Grill/Toaster| 40
5. Heaters/Fires | 26

Fatalities and Injuries 

(Between April 6 – April 5 2021/24)

Fatalities: 3

Injury: 41

Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service

Number of electrical fires in the home

(Between April 6 – April 5)

2021/22 – 368

2022/23 – 348

20223/23 – 394

Total: 1110

Top Five Appliance Causes | Total Fires Caused

1. Cooking Appliance | 417
2. Other Domestic Style Applicance | 97
3. Heating Equipment | 89
4. Electric Lighting | 63
5. Industrial Equiment | 47

Fatalities and Injuries 

(Between April 6 – April 5 2021/24)

Fatalities: 9

Casualties: 258

Rescues: 64

When we buy products, whether they’re used for important everyday tasks or for our enjoyment, we expect them to work as intended. What we don’t expect is for those products to cause us harm, and yet, unfortunately, this does happen. In this guide, you can learn about pursuing compensation through a defective product claim.

We start by discussing the Consumer Rights Act 2015 and the Consumer Protection Act 1987, two pieces of legislation which set out your rights. Additionally, we explain how defective product claims might come about and what you can do to help your claim succeed.

Furthermore, we look at how compensation is calculated if you make a successful faulty product claim. Lastly, our guide reviews why many people come to our expert personal injury solicitors for legal support on a No Win No Fee basis.

You can get immediate and free guidance by getting in touch with us today. We also provide a free claim assessment to see if you can start a case, but there’s no obligation to do so. Choose one of these options:

• Call our 24/7 line on 0800 073 8804.
• Go online to contact us and request a call.
• Click on the live chat pop-up at the foot of this page.

Select A Section

1. What Is A Defective Product Claim?
2. What Types of Defective Products Could Cause Injuries?
3. Can Defective Products Cause Fires?
4. What Should I Do If I Suffered An Injury Due To A Defective Product?
5. What Compensation Could I Claim If I’m Injured By Faulty Goods?
6. Can I Make A No Win No Fee Defective Product Compensation Claim?
7. More Resources About Making A Defective Product Claim

What Is A Defective Product Claim?

When you buy a product, you automatically have legal protection that entitles you to take action if you are harmed by a defect that wasn’t your fault.

Your consumer rights are safeguarded by two key pieces of legislation:

• The Consumer Rights Act 2015. Section 9 of this law states that goods must be of a satisfactory quality, which means that a reasonable person would consider the product to meet a satisfactory standard.
• The Consumer Protection Act 1987. Under this Act, consumers have the right to seek damages if they are harmed by defective products.

With this in mind, you are able to make a personal injury claim if you can show that you bought an item that was faulty, and that this fault caused you to suffer an injury. Alternatively, you can claim if someone else bought the product but you were injured by it.

You may have a valid defective product claim for an incident you’ve had that caused harm or damage. To find out whether you have an eligible case, simply call Legal Expert today through the number at the top of this page for a free consultation. 

What Types of Defective Products Could Cause Injuries?

Any product could theoretically cause an injury if it is manufactured with a fault. Resulting injuries can be minor, such as a slight laceration or bruise, while some injuries could be severe, life-threatening or even fatal. 

Here, we are going to look at different types of products that, if made faulty, could lead to various types of incidents that have the potential to cause injury or damage:

• Electrical equipment, such as mobile phone chargers or hair straighteners, if faulty, could lead to electrical shocks, burns, scarring, or hair and skin damage. 
• Medical devices or tools. For example, if a patient is fitted with a faulty pacemaker, this could lead them to suffer a fatal heart attack. 
• Kitchen or home appliances. As we discuss in the next section, appliances like TVs, cookers tumble dryers and washing machines are a leading cause of house fires. This has the potential to cause massive damage, injury and even death. 
• Vehicles, including cars, motorcycles, bikes or scooters. A fault with a vehicle could lead to a road traffic accident and inflict broken bones, internal injuries or brain damage.
• Gardening equipment or power tools. Even an unpowered tool like a hacksaw or a ladder could cause serious harm. A broken ladder could lead to someone falling from height. 

If a faulty item has caused damage or injury/illness, you have the right to seek compensation under the Consumer Protection Act. Call today to discuss how we can help with a defective product injury claim.

Can Defective Products Cause Fires?

It is entirely possible that a product defect could lead to a fire. Government statistics show that 24,083 accidental fires in English dwellings were recorded between April 2022 and March 2023.

One of the leading causes of accidental fires in dwellings in the year 2022/23 was faulty appliances and leads, which caused 3,486 fires. Faulty fuel supplies were also a leading cause of accidental fires, causing 2,325 fires.

If you were hurt in a fire caused by faulty electrics or other defective appliances, call today to discuss your options and see if our solicitors could help you make a product liability compensation claim.

What Should I Do If I Suffered An Injury Due To A Defective Product?

First and foremost, you should make sure you get the medical treatment you need. After that, you could consider whether you have a case against the manufacturer for a defective product claim. With that in mind, see if you can collect the following:

• A copy of the fire investigation report. You can request a copy from your local fire and rescue service.
• The product itself, as well as any photos or videos that highlight the fault.
• Any packaging, instructions or safety notices that came with the product.
• Proof of purchase. This could be an entry on a bank statement or a receipt.
• Medical evidence showing the extent of your injuries and treatment. You can ask your GP for a copy of your medical records.

Ultimately, evidence could decide whether or not a faulty product compensation claim is successful because it should prove liability. If you work with a personal injury solicitor, they can help you gather evidence and present it during your claim.

For more information on how our solicitors help people claim for injuries caused by product defects, and what evidence you can collect to give your claim the best chance of success, call the number listed above.

What Compensation Could I Claim If I’m Injured By Faulty Goods?

Should you win your defective product compensation claim, you will be awarded compensation. Payouts in personal injury claims can be split into two parts, known as heads of loss.

The primary head of loss is general damages, which aim to compensate you for any physical injury or emotional damage.

When payouts for personal injury compensation claims are calculated, those figuring out a number might get some insight from the Judicial College Guidelines (JCG). This document has guideline compensation brackets for different injuries, and we have used it to create the table you see below.

Compensation Table

This table features JCG figures, with the top line being the only exception. All personal injury cases differ so the table is just a guide.

INJURY	SEVERITY	AMOUNT
Multiple Significant Injuries And Financial Losses	Severe	Up to £1,000,000+
Hand	Total Or Effective Loss Of Both Hands	£171,680 to £245,900
Hand	Moderate	£6,910 to £16,200
Injuries Affecting Sight	Loss of Sight in One Eye with Reduced Vision in the Remaining Eye (i)	£117,150 to £219,400
Brain Damage	Moderate (ii)	£110,720 to £183,190
Leg	Amputation Of One Leg Above The Knee	£127,930 to £167,760
Burns	Significant Burns Covering 40% Or More Of The Body	Likely to exceed £127,930
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)	Severe	£73,050 to £122,850
Lung Damage	Breathing Difficulties (Short Of Disabling Breathlessness)	£38,210 to £66,920
Scarring To Other Parts Of The Body	Single Disfiguring Scar	£9,560 to £27,740

Can My Defective Product Injury Claim Payout Account For Financial Loss?

It is also possible to seek compensation for financial losses that an injury caused. The special damages head of claim accounts for this, meaning that your defective product claim payout could include reimbursement for:

• The cost of replacing damaged property, not including the faulty product itself.
• Medical expenses.
• Travel fees.
• A loss of earnings if you cannot work due to your injuries.

Make sure that you keep receipts, payslips and other documents showing out of pocket expenses so you can submit them as evidence.

If you’d like to discuss how much compensation you might receive for an injury caused by faulty products, simply call us or use the live chat option below.

Can I Make A No Win No Fee Defective Product Compensation Claim?

You’re likely to find that the claims process runs more smoothly with professional guidance. Our specialist No Win No Fee solicitors are personal injury experts who can:

• Be there for you when you want to seek legal advice.
• Use their knowledge to push for the best possible resolution.
• Submit all paperwork within the legal time limit and prevent any unnecessary delays.

You can get this support without paying any upfront or ongoing solicitor fees. Furthermore, you wouldn’t have to pay for the solicitor’s work if the case loses because our solicitors offer their work under a Conditional Fee Agreement.

You are guaranteed to receive a clear majority of your payout if the claim wins. This is because a legal cap set out by The Conditional Fee Agreements Order 2013 restricts the percentage of your compensation that a solicitor can take as their success fee.

Contact Us For Free Product Liability Claim Guidance

If you’d like to learn more about making a defective product claim or believe you have a case, we can help. Simply contact us any time for free guidance and an evaluation that can let you know if one of our expert solicitors could take your case, but does not include an obligation to start legal action.

This service is available to you all day, every day. Reach us through any of these ways:

• Call 0800 073 8804.
• Contact us online.
• Send a message through the live chat feature.

More Resources About Making A Defective Product Claim

Here are some further articles from our extensive collection:

• How to make a broken or faulty handle compensation claim.
• We discuss claims for defective farming equipment or machinery.
• A look at housing disrepair compensation claims.

These sites could also have information you need.

• Government advice on Statutory Sick Pay claims.
• Check this Chartered Trading Standards Institute page to see the latest product recall and safety notice updates in the UK.
• Information on first aid from the NHS

Thank you for reading our defective product claim guide. Please call if you need any further guidance or support.

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We’re determined to provide the very best level of service that we can. That begins when you first visit our website, continues as you speak with our advisors, and carries on right the way through your claim.

On this page, you can find our key customer support information.

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Business Name: Legal Expert (a brand of JF Law Limited)

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