A total of 443,000 fines were issued in the last school year as a result of parents taking their children out of school during term time for unauthorised holidays.
Parents have been warned they could face penalties of us to £2,500 for continually taking their children out of school. A staggering 443,000 fines were handed out in the last academic year due to parents whisking their children away for unauthorised term-time holidays. This figure represents a record-breaking increase of 53 percent since the pandemic.
The data emerges in the wake of Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson’s announcement of plans to hike up fines. Parents who allow their children to skip school without a valid reason can be slapped with a variety of orders and penalties.
Previously, local councils could impose an initial fine of £60 on families, but this has now been bumped up to £80. If the fine isn’t settled within 21 days, it doubles to £160.
Schools and local authorities also have the power to enforce parenting orders, education supervision orders, and school attendance orders, in addition to fines or penalty notices. From the 2024/2025 academic year onwards, each parent will only be able to receive two fines within a three-year period, with the second fine automatically set at £160.
As reported by LancsLive, if your child plays truant three or more times within three years without a good reason, you may find yourself in court where the penalties escalate significantly. Parents hauled before the courts could face a hefty £2,500 fine, a community order, a parenting order, or even a jail sentence of up to three months.
Parents facing difficulties in ensuring their children attend school might find themselves subject to a parenting order which compels them to participate in parenting seminars and fulfil other court-mandated improvements for their child’s attendance. If you’re thought to need assistance getting your child to school, and you’re not collaborating, your council may issue an education supervision order assigning you a supervisor for support.
Furthermore, if there’s a concern your child isn’t receiving an education, a school attendance order is the next step. That gives guardians a 15-day window to prove school registration or home education arrangements. Failure to do so might result in prosecution or fines.
July saw Phillipson accept the position of education secretary and she swiftly made it clear that tackling absenteeism is a priority. She said: “Tackling the epidemic of school absence is everyone’s responsibility – government, schools, parents, and children – we need a national effort to get young people back in the classroom.”
It is important to note that the legal consequences for non-attendance can vary across the UK, with distinct rules applying in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. Relevant details are available on the gov.uk website.
