Local authorities in the UK are holding back millions of pounds to cover the potential cost of personal injury claims when people fall on pavements.

The startling revelation was made by a new Help the Aged report to mark National Falls Awareness Day.  Councils fear high legal costs and compensation payouts. In some cases, councils are holding back more to cover these possible expenses than they are spending on emergency pavement repairs.

Many councils also say they face funding shortfalls to keep public walkways safe.

In 2007 the 66 councils who responded to the Charity’s questionnaires set aside a total of £16.3 million. That's an average of £250,000 each to cover the potential legal costs when people fall on their pavements.

More than 2,300 older people fall on broken pavements every day. Nearly 80,000 of those who have fallen each year are then afraid to leave the house.

Help the Aged believes some of the funds councils hold in legal and compensation cost reserves could be better spent on making pavements safer. 

The Falling Short investigation is part of the Charity’s campaign to improve the nation’s paving for the safety of older people.

Pamela Holmes, Head of Healthy Ageing at Help the Aged, said: 'This investigation suggests that councils are caught in a vicious circle.  On the one hand they are required to sit on large sums of money to cover legal fees and compensation. On the other, they are cash-strapped when it comes to repairing pavements that may cause falls in the first place.

'Falls are a leading cause of death for over 75s. It is vital that councils invest more money in keeping public walkways safe.'

Older people are less likely than other age groups to seek compensation when they fall, even though suffering a fall can shatter their physical and mental well-being.