By Legal Futures Associate National Claims [1]
Every year, thousands of people across the UK suffer injuries at work, in public places or through accidents that could have been prevented. For some, the consequences are relatively short-lived. For others, an injury can affect their ability to work, their finances and their quality of life for months or even years.
Yet despite the continuing scale of workplace accidents and rising serious road casualties, the number of people pursuing personal injury claims has fallen dramatically.
Figures from the Association of Consumer Support Organisations (ACSO) reveal that just 413,323 personal injury claims were registered in 2025, compared with more than 876,000 in 2018. That’s a decline of 53% in seven years.
For National Claims [2], which helps people access specialist legal support following accidents and injuries, these figures raise questions about how many individuals may be missing out on compensation because they don’t understand their rights or feel uncomfortable pursuing a claim.
While a reduction in unnecessary litigation may be welcome, there’s a difference between discouraging unfounded claims and making it harder for genuinely injured people to seek redress.
The injuries haven’t disappeared
The latest workplace injury statistics offer some perspective on the scale of the issue.
According to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), an estimated 680,000 workers sustained a non-fatal injury at work during 2024/25. Workplace injuries alone accounted for approximately 4.4 million lost working days.
These figures aren’t directly comparable with compensation claims data, and not every workplace accident will involve negligence. However, they show just how frequently injuries continue to affect working people and their livelihoods.
The consequences can be significant, particularly for those working in physically demanding roles or without access to generous occupational sick pay.
A warehouse employee who injures their back while lifting, for example, may struggle to return to work for several weeks. Someone who suffers a serious fall could require physiotherapy, ongoing treatment or adjustments to their working arrangements.
For these individuals, the immediate concern is often getting better and managing financially. Exploring whether someone else was responsible for the accident may not be a priority until much later.
And that delay can have consequences of its own.
Why people hesitate to make a claim
One of the biggest barriers to pursuing compensation may have little to do with the legal merits of a case.
For many people, making a claim feels confrontational. Employees may worry about upsetting their employer, damaging relationships with colleagues or putting their job at risk.
Others feel uncomfortable with the idea of claiming compensation at all, particularly if they believe accidents are simply part of working life.
These attitudes can be especially relevant in industries where physical risks are common. Someone working in construction, manufacturing or logistics may be more inclined to accept an injury as an occupational hazard, even when inadequate training, faulty equipment or unsafe working practices may have contributed.
There’s also a tendency to underestimate injuries that don’t initially appear serious. A fall might seem relatively harmless until persistent pain develops, while a lifting injury can gradually become a longer-term problem.
By the time someone realises how much the injury has affected them, important evidence may be harder to obtain.
Witnesses might have moved on, CCTV recordings could have been deleted and details surrounding the accident may no longer be clear.
Understanding potential legal rights early doesn’t mean someone has to pursue compensation. It simply gives them the opportunity to make an informed decision while the relevant information is still available.
The cost of an accident goes beyond the injury
Financial uncertainty is another reason why the decline in claims deserves attention.
For someone earning an hourly wage or working on a self-employed basis, even a relatively short period away from work can create difficulties. Household bills still need paying, while treatment, travel and additional care costs can add to the pressure.
Yet many people assume that personal injury claims payouts only compensate for pain and suffering. In reality, where liability is established, compensation can also take account of lost income, rehabilitation expenses, care requirements and other financial losses arising from an injury.
The circumstances of each case will determine what’s recoverable, and what compensation you can claim. [3] An injury doesn’t automatically create a right to compensation, but equally, someone shouldn’t dismiss the possibility of a claim simply because they expect the amount to be small.
Does the fear of legal costs put people off?
For those who have never dealt with a solicitor, the prospect of legal action can feel expensive and complicated. Uncertainty about fees, paperwork and how long a case might take can discourage people from seeking advice, particularly when they’re already facing financial pressure.
Although no win no fee personal injury claims can provide access to legal representation without upfront solicitors’ fees, there are still misconceptions about how these arrangements work.
Claimants need to understand potential deductions from compensation, the terms of their agreement and any circumstances in which they could remain responsible for costs.
The availability of these funding arrangements also depends on the nature and prospects of the case. For people researching personal injury claims UK guidance, clearer explanations of these practical issues could make a meaningful difference.
The concern is that some individuals may be ruling themselves out of the process before they’ve established whether they have a valid claim or what support might be available.
Why early advice can make a difference
Time is another factor that people frequently overlook. Personal injury claims are subject to legal limitation periods. In England and Wales, the general rule for negligence-based personal injury claims is three years from the date of injury or the relevant date of knowledge, although exceptions apply.
Different rules operate in Scotland and Northern Ireland, and cases involving children or people who lack the relevant mental capacity can be treated differently.
While three years may sound generous, gathering medical evidence, establishing responsibility and assessing the longer-term effects of an injury can take time. This is why understanding the process sooner rather than later can be valuable, even if someone hasn’t decided whether to proceed.
National Claims helps people take those initial steps by providing information about compensation and connecting them with appropriate legal specialists.
For individuals unfamiliar with the legal system, being able to discuss their circumstances and understand the options available can help remove some of the uncertainty associated with making a claim.
The people behind the falling claims figures
It’s tempting to view declining personal injury claims as evidence that the compensation system is becoming more efficient. In some respects, reforms aimed at reducing unnecessary litigation may have achieved their intended purpose.
But the figures don’t tell us how many people with potentially valid claims have decided against pursuing them, or why. A worker who is worried about their job, someone struggling financially after an accident or a person who simply doesn’t understand their legal rights may never appear in the claims statistics.
That’s an important distinction, particularly when accidents continue to have substantial consequences for individuals and their families.
The challenge for the personal injury sector in 2026 is therefore about more than the number of cases being registered. It’s about ensuring that people have enough information and confidence to recognise when they may be entitled to compensation.
Not every injury will give rise to a claim, nor should it. But where someone has suffered avoidable harm because of another party’s negligence, uncertainty, fear or a lack of information shouldn’t be what prevents them from seeking justice.