Summer holiday warning as more and more parents risking £2.5k fine

A legal expert has issued a summer holiday warning as more and more parents risk being slapped with a £2,500 fine. He advised that not only can taking your child out of school cost you money but could even end in prosecution.

The school absence fine was introduced in 2013 as a way to reduce the number of students missing school time. It was originally priced at £60 as standard but rose to £80 as standard last year.

Despite this,school absences have continued to increase. Data analysts at Lawhive have reviewed the latest Government figures and found a sharp rise in unauthorised school absences during the 2023/24 academic year.

Penalty notices reached a record 487,344 - with 443,322 of these linked to unauthorised term-time holidays. That's a 138% increase compared to 186,281 in 2021/22.

The latest figures also represent a dramatic 950% increase compared to the pandemic low in 2020/21, when just 45,809 unauthorised absences were recorded.

While £80 might not seem like much, if it is not paid within 21 days this will go up to £160. And if you do not pay the fine in 28 days you may be taken to court for keeping your child out of school.

The Government website warns that if you are then taken to court, you could get a fine of up to £2,500, a community order or a jail sentence up to three months.

The court could also give you a Parenting Order. Head of legal operations and UK lawyer at Lawhive, Daniel McAfee, commented: "Indeed, while prosecution is considered a last resort, it must be said that the courts will treat non-compliance seriously where previous interventions have failed.

"My advice to any parent in this position is to act promptly - whether that means paying the fine, requesting a review, or providing evidence of mitigating circumstances."

The Government website adds: "From the 2024 to 2025 school year, each parent will only get up to two fines for the same child in a three-year period.

"If you get a second fine in three years it will be £160. If you do not pay the fine in 28 days you may be taken to court for keeping your child out of school.

"If your child is off school three or more times within the three years you will not be fined but may be taken to court."

Check your local council's rules here on when you can be fined and how to pay a fine.