Term-Time Holiday Fines Hit Record High: What Every Parent Needs to Know About the £80 Penalty

The number of parents fined for taking children on term-time holidays has reached an all-time high, with 459,288 penalty notices issued across England in the 2024-25 academic year. This represents a 4% increase on the previous year and accounts for 93% of all fines issued for unauthorised school absence.

The figures, released this week by the Department for Education, come after changes to the fining system that increased penalties from £60 to £80 per parent, per child. For many families, the rising cost of living and the steep difference in holiday prices between term-time and school holidays continue to make this a difficult decision, despite the financial penalty.

Understanding the Current Rules

The government introduced a new national framework in August 2024 to create more consistency across England. Previously, different local authorities took vastly different approaches, leading to confusion and perceived unfairness.

When Fines Can Be Issued:

Schools and local authorities must consider issuing a fine if a child has five or more days of unauthorised absence within a 10-week period. This includes term-time holidays that have not been approved by the school.

The Cost of Fines:

£80 per parent, per child if paid within 21 days
£160 per parent, per child if paid within 28 days
Second fine for the same child within three years: £160 immediately
Third unauthorised absence: potential prosecution, leading to fines up to £2,500 or even a three-month jail sentence

For a two-parent household with two children, even a single term-time holiday could result in fines totalling £320 if paid promptly, or £640 if payment is delayed.

Why Are So Many Parents Still Doing It?

Despite the penalties, the number of families taking term-time holidays continues to climb. The reasons are complex and often go beyond simple cost savings.

The Holiday Price Premium

Many families report saving £1,000-£3,000 by holidaying during term time rather than school holidays. For families on tight budgets, this can be the difference between having a family holiday and not going away at all. A week in the Mediterranean might cost £2,500 in January but £5,000 during August, making even a £320 fine financially preferable.

Work Constraints

Chris, a 42-year-old RAF officer from Staffordshire, told the BBC that working in the military meant he couldn't take leave during school holidays. When he took his children to Egypt for five days in June 2025, it was their first overseas holiday. While he was initially fined, he successfully appealed with support from his military superiors.

"Learning those life skills and some of that cultural awareness that they're picking up by having these holidays far outweighs the fact that they missed five days in education," Chris explained.

Industry-Specific Pressures

Lucy, a farming family from East Sussex, described January as the only viable time for a holiday. "When we come back in February we'll start lambing. Then we have a second lot of lambing usually around the Easter holidays. We're harvesting in the summer holidays. It's relentless really."

For families in farming, hospitality, retail, and other sectors with seasonal demands, the school holiday calendar simply doesn't align with when they can take time off work.

The Educational Impact: What Research Shows

While the financial and practical arguments for term-time holidays are clear, the impact on children's education is significant and shouldn't be dismissed.

Lost Learning Time

Darren Morgan, head teacher of Kings Road Primary in Manchester, explained that missing even a week of school creates noticeable gaps. "For children who missed a week of school, going back can be quite challenging. They're conscious of the missed aspects of learning."

When a child misses school, teachers must either:

Spend additional time catching that child up, taking time away from other pupils
Accept that the child has gaps in their knowledge that may affect future learning
Send work home, which rarely replicates the classroom experience

The Ripple Effect

It's not just the individual child who's affected. The Department for Education argues that term-time holidays "place the burden on teachers to support missed learning and affect the entire class." When teachers must spend time re-teaching material to returning students, it can slow down the pace of learning for everyone.

Social and Emotional Factors

Beyond academics, children who miss school may:

Feel disconnected from their peer group
Miss important social experiences and relationship-building
Experience anxiety about catching up
Develop patterns of absence that normalise missing school

However, advocates for term-time holidays argue that family time, cultural experiences, and quality bonding can provide educational and emotional benefits that classroom learning cannot replicate.

Regional Variations Continue

Despite the national framework, significant regional differences persist in how fines are issued.

Highest Fine Rate: Yorkshire and the Humber issued 103 penalty notices per 1,000 enrolled pupils, though this has slightly decreased from the previous year.

Lowest Fine Rate: London issued just 36 fines per 1,000 pupils but saw a slight increase.

These variations may reflect different local authority policies, different demographic pressures, or varying levels of enforcement rather than actual differences in absence rates.

What Parents Should Know Before Booking

If you're considering a term-time holiday, here's what you need to understand:

Exceptional Circumstances

Schools can authorise absence in "exceptional circumstances," but the definition is deliberately narrow and left to the head teacher's discretion. Examples that might be considered exceptional include:

Immediate family bereavement or serious illness
Religious observances
Representing the county or country in sports or cultural events
Military deployment of a parent
Court appearances or legal proceedings

Simply wanting a cheaper holiday, a special family celebration, or your work schedule typically won't meet the threshold for exceptional circumstances.

The Appeal Process

If you're fined and believe it's unfair:

1. Check if absence was unauthorised: Your school should have sent a letter refusing permission before you went 2. Gather evidence: If you believe you have exceptional circumstances, compile documentation 3. Contact your local authority: Many have formal appeal processes 4. Know the timeline: Appeals are time-sensitive and must be submitted quickly

Chris's successful appeal was supported by official letters from his military commanders explaining why he couldn't take leave during school holidays. Without strong supporting evidence, appeals are rarely successful.

Making the Decision

Consider these factors:

Your child's attendance record: If attendance is already below 95%, taking a term-time holiday becomes much harder to justify and may trigger additional intervention.

Academic timing: A week during a relatively quiet period in Year 3 has very different implications than missing GCSE coursework deadlines in Year 11.

School policy: Some schools take a harder line than others. Understand your school's specific approach before booking.

Total cost calculation: Factor in the fine when comparing holiday costs. A £2,000 saving minus a £320 fine still saves £1,680, but a £800 saving becomes £480 after the fine.

Your child's needs: Some children cope well with missing school; others find it genuinely stressful and struggle to catch up.

The Debate Among Education Professionals

The teaching profession itself is divided on whether fines are the right approach.

Lee Parkinson, a Manchester primary teacher with half a million Facebook followers, calls fines a "blunt tool." He advocates for: "Early support, better access to mental health support, practical help with things like transport and breakfast, consistent approaches across councils, and working with councils before patterns set in."

The National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT) said the use of fines "increasingly appears to be an overly simplistic solution to a more complex issue, and it is becoming clear that this approach is increasingly ineffective."

However, the Association of School and College Leaders noted there is "good evidence that missing time in the classroom has a direct impact on a child's attainment and future prospects."

The Government's Position

The Department for Education remains firm in its stance. A spokesperson said: "Every child deserves the best start in life, and that begins with being in school. Term-time holidays place the burden on teachers to support missed learning and affect the entire class."

The government points to improvements in overall attendance, with five million more days in school last academic year and 140,000 fewer pupils persistently absent, as evidence that their approach is working.

What's Next for Holiday Fines?

With fines continuing to rise despite increased penalties, questions remain about whether the system is achieving its goals. If nearly half a million fines are issued annually and the numbers keep climbing, it suggests either:

Parents are making an informed choice to pay the fine and go anyway
The deterrent effect is not working as intended
Underlying issues (holiday pricing, work patterns, cost of living) are more powerful than policy

There's growing pressure from parent groups and some education unions to reconsider the approach. Suggestions include:

Holiday companies capping prices during school holidays
More flexibility for parents in certain professions
Graduated fines based on family income
Alternative consequences beyond financial penalties

For now, though, the system remains unchanged, and parents face the same difficult calculus: Is the family time, the cost savings, or the work necessity worth the fine and potential impact on your child's education?

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I request a term-time holiday for a wedding or family event?

Schools may authorise absence for immediate family weddings (siblings, parents), but extended family celebrations rarely qualify as exceptional circumstances. Even if attending the wedding day is approved, taking a week-long holiday around it likely won't be.

What happens if I don't pay the fine?

Unpaid fines can lead to prosecution, potentially resulting in a criminal record, much higher fines (up to £2,500), and in extreme cases, imprisonment. Local authorities increasingly pursue non-payment through the courts.

Will the school tell the local authority if I take a term-time holiday?

Yes. Schools are required to report unauthorised absences to their local authority, who then decide whether to issue a fine. Your school cannot choose not to report it.

Can I be fined if my child is ill during the holiday?

If your child is genuinely ill and you provide medical evidence, the absence should be recorded as illness, not unauthorised. However, if you've already been refused permission for a holiday and your child is then "ill" during the exact dates you requested, expect scrutiny.

Does attendance matter more in certain school years?

Yes. Attendance is particularly important during:

Reception and Year 1 (foundational skills)
Year 2 and Year 6 (SATs years)
Years 10 and 11 (GCSE coursework and exams)
Year 13 (A-level final year)

However, the regulations apply equally across all year groups, from Reception through Year 13.

How do schools decide what's "exceptional"?

Each head teacher has discretion, but they must work within DfE guidelines. The key test is whether circumstances are genuinely exceptional (rare, significant, unforeseen) rather than just inconvenient or expensive. Most head teachers document their decision-making process carefully to ensure consistency.

The term-time holiday debate shows no sign of resolution. Until the underlying issues of holiday pricing, work patterns, and cost of living are addressed, thousands of families will continue to make the difficult choice between school attendance and family opportunities, accepting the fine as a cost of doing what they feel is right for their children.