As many parents are aware, going on holidays, especially to Walt Disney World or Disneyland Paris during school holidays can be very expensive. One school told BBC News that one out of every three pupils had been taken out of school on term time for family holidays.
In response to the increase of pupils being taken out of school during term time, the UK government has increased the fines parents receive for doing so, as well as a new framework.
The New Fines
Currently, it’s the responsibility of the local authority to decide when to issue fines to parents, meaning the process varies from council to council. Under the new national framework, all schools will be required to consider a fine when a child has missed 10 or more sessions (5 days) for unauthorised reasons.
From August 2024, the fine for school absences across the country will be £80 per parent if paid within 21 days, or £160 per parent if paid within 28 days. A second fine in any three-year period will automatically be the higher £160 per parent fine. Fines per parent will be capped at two fines within any three-year period. Once this limit has been reached, other actions like a parenting order or prosecution will be considered. If you’re prosecuted and attend court because your child hasn’t been attending school, you could get a fine of up to £2,500.
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