England increases fines for unauthorised school absences

Starting today, parents in England will face increased fines for taking their children out of school without permission, as new regulations from the Department of Education (DfE) come into force, Kazinform News Agency correspondent reports.

Under the updated guidance, fines for unauthorised school absences have risen from £60 to £80, doubling to £160 if not paid within 21 days. This increase comes as part of the DfE’s efforts to combat school absenteeism. If a parent is fined again within three years, the fine will start at £160.

A third penalty notice within this period will not be issued. Instead, authorities will consider "alternative action," which could include prosecution.

In the 2022-23 school year, nearly 400,000 penalty notices were issued in England for unauthorised absences, a significant increase compared to pre-pandemic levels. The majority of these fines (89.3%) were due to families booking cheaper holidays during school term times.

Geoff Barton, the general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, previously noted that these fines "primarily relate to pupils who are taken out of school for holidays during term time."

"While it's not desirable to fine parents, it's essential to set a clear boundary that this behaviour is unacceptable," he stated. "Not only does it disrupt the child's education, but it also requires teachers to spend additional time helping those students catch up. If this practice became widespread, it would lead to chaos."