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Make a claim against the council

Before making a claim for compensation (public liability claim) it's important to be aware of the following points:

  • All claims are assessed on the basis of whether we have been legally at fault for the incident. Often events occur that are unfortunate, but not due to anyone's negligence. We’ll only pay compensation where there’s evidence we were legally at fault.
  • Any decision on the claim will not be immediate. We, along with our insurers, will acknowledge your claim with 21 days, and then investigate and give a full response within three months.
  • Claims can be submitted in person or by a solicitor acting on your behalf. We treat all claimants equally regardless of how they are represented.
  • Fraudulent claims will be prosecuted.

How to make a claim

To make a claim you will need to formally notify us. This notice should contain enough information for us to begin investigations. The more detail we have, the quicker any investigation will be.

At a minimum, it should contain the following:

  • claimant's name and address
  • your name and address, if different
  • details of the incident
  • details of any injuries or damage to property
  • details of how or why you or the claimant you represent feel we have acted negligently.

In the case of a personal injury you will, at some stage, need to supply the following:

  • date of birth
  • National Insurance number

Claims should be sent to:

The Insurance Section
Dover District Council
White Cliffs Business Park
Dover CT16 3PJ

Or emailed to insurancesection@dover.gov.uk

Legal advice

A public liability claim is a legal process and can be complicated. You may wish to seek legal advice either before making a claim or if you disagree about the decision reached.

Before appointing a solicitor, check the cost of the legal services they will provide and how this will be funded.

The Citizens Advice Bureau can give guidance on making a public liability claim.

To get details of your local office visit their website www.citizensadvice.org.uk.

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