Taking the kids out of school during term time to go on holiday can save you a huge amount of money. But it could also land you with a fine. Here’s the lowdown on school fines in England and Wales.
Can I Be Fined For Taking My Child Out Of School For a Holiday?
In England and Wales, you can be hit with a fine for taking your child out of school for a holiday. This is because a holiday isn’t generally considered a legitimate reason for having your child out of school.
In Scotland and Northern Ireland it’s also not allowed but they deal with it differently – there’s no set fine. It’s up to the school or the relevant education authority to handle it how they choose.
What’s the reason to book a holiday in term time?
The prices of flights, hotels and package holidays can really spike during school holidays – so the cost of a holiday outside of those times can be hundreds or even thousands of pounds cheaper.
This could be a big incentive to book a holiday during term time. It doesn’t have to be cost though, it could also be down to the availability and working patterns of parents or extended family.
How do school fines actually work?
There’s national guidance for school fines in England and Wales, but it comes down to the local authority as to how this guidance is followed.
All schools must consider a fine once a child misses 5 full days or more of school without prior permission. But it’s the local authority that actually decides when to issue fines to parents.
The fine for unauthorised absence is £80, which doubles to £160 if it isn’t paid within 21 days.
If the fine isn’t paid after 28 days, or if a child is off school three or more times in three years, then it can go to magistrates court.
If things go to court, the fine can increase to up to £2,500, plus there’s the risk of having to pay the council’s costs of going to court as well.
Alternatively parents might get a community or parenting order, or even a jail sentence of up to 3 months.
Who actually gets fined - one parent or both parents?
Both parents (or guardians) can each be fined for a child’s unauthorised absence from school.
It doesn’t matter whether the parents are together or separated, they are both accountable for the child’s school attendance in the eyes of the law.
Do fines apply to all schools?
The fines apply to state schools in England and Wales.
Parents of children at private schools don’t have to pay a fine – although the school will likely have guidance around holidays that parents are expected to follow.
Whilst no fine can be issued if it’s a private school, the local authority technically has the power (under the Education Act) to take the parent to court for unauthorised absence. But it would depend on the individual school and council as to whether this was ever enforced.
Can you appeal a fine?
There’s no set process for appealing a fine for a child’s unauthorised school absence.
If a parent thinks the fine is down to an admin error, or wants to provide evidence of exceptional circumstances, then they should contact the local education authority as soon as possible after they receive the fine.
If you refuse to pay it, the local authority could prosecute you.
Can you get permission to take kids out of school?
Children are allowed to miss school due to illness, or due to exceptional circumstances such as a bereavement or family emergency, as long as they have permission from the school. A holiday is not generally considered an exceptional circumstance.
However, in practice, many parents report that some schools do take a more flexible approach, particularly if their child’s attendance is strong, the days missed are minimal and the trip is well-communicated in advance.
Are there any exceptions?
There is one exception and that’s if your child is aged 4.
This is because the legal requirement for children to attend school in England and Wales kicks in from the term after their 5th birthday. Until then, there’s no legal requirement for school attendance, so a fine can’t be issued if they miss it.
Will things change any time soon?
In October 2025 a petition was brought to parliament, suggesting children should be allowed up to 10 days’ absence each academic year, but it was rejected. Therefore, whilst it definitely is a hot topic, there’s currently no sign that it will change in the near future.
