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The Independent
08-07-2025
- The Independent
Parents not put off by fines for holidays during school term time, research finds
Fines for taking kids out of school for holidays during term time are not deterring parents as paying them works out cheaper than travelling in the peak summer season, new research suggests. The UK's Department for Education says that children can miss school for illnesses or exceptional circumstances, but if the local council or school deems a child misses class without a good reason, parents or guardians may be issued a fine. Families who jet off on a holiday while school is still in session can risk fines of £80 per child, rising up to £160 if this is not paid within 21 days. The fine currently sits at £60, but the government will bump it up to £80 by August this year. The vast majority of fines for unauthorised absence (89 per cent) are issued for term-time holidays. However, for some families, this cost is only a drop in the ocean against the soaring holiday prices during the summer break. New research from accounting firm KPMG has revealed that a third (33 per cent) of parents they surveyed with school-age children said their kids would miss some term time for a holiday this year. One in five (20 per cent) said their whole holiday would be taken during term time, specifically to avoid or limit peak summer holiday travel costs. While a majority said they would not mind their kid missing school for a holiday, 38 per cent of the 1,053 participants still responded that they would not let their child miss learning to go abroad or on a staycation. UK parents have collectively already paid at least £41m in fines since 2022 for taking their children out of school. However, the price of the fine has yet to outweigh the savings of off-peak holidays. On average, parents have saved £567 by taking their kids out of school during term time, when considering travel prices over peak season, a separate study by found. In some cases, savings were even higher, with 16 per cent of families saying they scored a term-time offer that was over £1,000 cheaper than travelling in summer. While the cost of the fine may not be a concern to some households, parents can also risk legal action if a child misses school repeatedly. 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 they receive a second fine in three years, it will be £160. If they do not pay the fine in 28 days they may be taken to court. If your child is off school three or more times within the three years, the parent may be taken to court. Parents taken to court risk a fine of up to £2,500, a community order or a jail sentence of up to three months. The court could also give them a Parenting Order, which sometimes consists of attending parenting programs or adhering to curfews.
Times
06-07-2025
- Times
Fining parents doesn't prevent term-time holidays
The prospect of a fine is not putting parents off taking their children out of the classroom for holidays to beat high prices, research suggests. A third of parents would remove their children from school in term time to take them on holiday, according to a survey by KPMG, the accountancy firm. Of the 1,053 respondents with school-age children, a fifth said their entire holiday would be taken during term time to avoid peak summer travel costs. KPMG said parents between the ages of 25 and 34 were the most likely to take their children on holiday during term time. Parents have paid a total of £41 million in fines since 2022, indicating that a number believed the savings made by travelling outside peak times outweighed the penalties. Schools must send attendance figures each week to the Department for Education showing whether each absence was authorised, unauthorised or due to illness. The government website says schools are required to consider issuing a fine when a child has missed five or more days for 'unauthorised reasons'. From August the fine was increased from £60 to £80. For a second unauthorised absence in three years the fine is £160. After a second fine, parents can be taken to court, where the penalty is up to £2,500. The 'vast majority of fines for unauthorised absence (89 per cent) are issued for term-time holidays,' the website says. • The great summer juggle: six ways to balance work and holiday childcare KPMG's consumer pulse survey, which questioned people in early June, suggested that most households were financially secure. Of 3,000 adults, half said they felt able to spend freely and only 14 per cent indicated that they were still having to cut their discretionary spending to pay for essentials. Those respondents most commonly said they had spent less on dining out. Of the 70 per cent who were planning to go on holiday this year, 34 per cent said it would be in the UK, 21 per cent said they were heading abroad and 15 per cent were doing both. Linda Ellett, head of consumer, retail and leisure at KPMG UK, said: 'Many households have prioritised discretionary spend for their holiday but, considering both household essential costs and the price of travel have increased, it is little surprise to see three quarters of holidaymakers are still taking a variety of steps to get the cost of their break down where they can.' Research from Currensea, a foreign currency debit card provider, suggested that two million parents had planned to take their children out of school for a term-time holiday this year. • Italian parents seek psychological help to cope with school holidays Last year, Pepe Di'Iasio, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said travel companies should be prevented from charging excessive prices during school holidays because fines for pupil absence had not created an effective deterrent.
Times
24-06-2025
- Times
Two million parents turn to term-time trips as holiday costs rise
Two million parents are set to take their children out of the classroom for holidays this term as they struggle to meet the rising cost of trips during school breaks, new research suggests. Nearly a fifth of parents report they can no longer afford to take trips during the school holidays, while almost a quarter (23 per cent) are willing to incur fines for cheaper term-time breaks, according to a survey of 2,000 British adults. Parents have paid a total of £41 million in fines for unauthorised term-time holidays since 2022. Research from Currensea, a foreign currency debit card provider, has revealed that 18 per cent of parents believe the savings made by travelling outside school holidays outweigh this financial penalty. • Should parents be fined for taking family holidays in term-time? Emma Harris, 51, from Clevedon, north Somerset, is a mother of two boys, the elder of whom is autistic. In 2021, she chose to take her sons out of secondary school during term-time for a family holiday to Walt Disney World in Florida after the school refused to authorise the absence. Faced with a fine of £60 per parent per child, totalling £240, Harris believed it was in her children's best interests to travel during a quieter, off-peak period. 'It was their first time abroad, so taking them out when we did meant it wasn't too chaotic,' she said. 'We knew it would be busy if we went during the school holidays and the park would be crammed. As it was, when we got there we got passes, so we were able to avoid queuing for the most part. For children who have additional needs like my son, we have to navigate his sensory difficulties.' Harris explained: 'Every day, you're approaching something different with an autistic child in a new environment, and you have to deal with meltdowns and anxieties. However, if you have to go through it with ten times as many people, the holiday won't be enjoyable for anybody. 'When you look at the grand scheme of things, we decided it was going to be so much better to pay the fine. We would have ended up paying more anyway if we decided to go during the school holidays than we did with the fine.' • The best way to get your kids to revise? A family holiday The threat of further penalties did not deter Harris and her family from booking their next trip outside of term-time. 'We went to Lanzarote two years ago with family who don't have children and they didn't want to go during the chaos of school holidays. Again, we wanted a quieter environment for my son and his younger brother, so we said sod it, we'll pay for a better holiday with the fine.' The government website says that all schools are required to consider a fine when a child has missed five or more days for 'unauthorised reasons'. From August last year, the fee was raised from £60 to £80 if paid within three weeks, or £160 if paid within 28 days. It also states that the 'vast majority of fines for unauthorised absence (89 per cent) are issued for term-time holidays'. If parents are prosecuted and brought to court because of unauthorised absences, they can face fines of up to £2,500. Another parent, who wished to remain anonymous, said they decided to take their child out of school to visit family in Poland over Christmas — and, by doing so, saved £600. Commenting on the backlash they received from other parents, they said: 'Taking my daughter out of school was a controversial issue, with potential implications for her education and fines from her school. As a parent, I think it's ridiculous for schools to be getting involved with this. • School holiday prices over the top? Give us a break, minister 'It's insane that we need to pay vast amounts of money to take your child to your home country to see their grandparents, or just in general to spend time with family.' James Lynn, the co-founder of Currensea, said: 'Parents are under huge financial pressure, so it's no wonder that millions are prepared to risk fines to treat their families to a much-needed break.' The research also found that parents seek to minimise expenses while travelling abroad. Almost three quarters, 72 per cent, said bank charges for spending money abroad were too high, while 67 per cent complained of hidden costs when using their debit card overseas. Two thirds (66 per cent) were worried about getting caught out by high foreign exchange fees when using their bank card abroad, and 80 per cent of parents said banks needed to explain their fees more clearly.
Yahoo
12-05-2025
- Yahoo
Bolton parents slapped with nearly £400K in fines for term time holidays
Bolton parents were hit with more than 6,000 fines – totalling £377,520 – for taking their children out of school for a holiday. Department for Education figures revealed that families received almost 1,600 more penalty notices for term-time holidays in the 2023-24 school year than the year before – totalling an extra £95,280. This was before the Government increased fines for term-time holiday last August from £60 to £80 if paid within 21 days - and from £120 to £180 if paid within 28 days. For parents like Kate Greenhalgh, 43, of Lostock, this is much cheaper than the 'jump' in the cost of travel during breaks. Kate has never taken her nine-year-old daughter out of school for a holiday, but said friends have considered trips that cut into end of term time. She said: 'Many friends and parents on the playground say they'll be missing a couple of days [for a holiday] at the end of term to get a better deal. It's a widely discussed subject. 'Holidays are definitely more expensive on breaks. You only need to look at any travel website to see the price jump when they start. 'An £80 fine is still much cheaper than [booking one at that time]. 'We haven't taken our daughter out of school, but would also consider missing the last few days of term when things generally start winding down. 'We wouldn't do it in the middle of term and disrupt her learning unless there was no way around it. For instance, for a family occasion like a wedding.' According to a Bolton travel agent, price hikes outside term time are by design. He said: 'Holidays are the most expensive outside school time because that's when everyone wants to go. Operators put the prices up depending on demand. They know where [and when's] popular. 'It's the way they make their money. This year has been especially expensive, we've found, compared to last year and 2026. 'It can be a few hundred pounds cheaper just to go during term time and pay the fine.' Robert Poole, a teacher and assistant district secretary of the NEU, said the fines are proof of a 'growing divide between families and schools' and don't work. He said: 'Education is one of the most important things in society but the [hike in fines in the last school year] shows a growing disconnect between families, children and schools. 'The moves to a so-called knowledge rich curriculum, more strict behaviour codes and a rigid exam factory system in recent years is leading to a generation who are alienated from education. 'The number of fines is going up, which shows that they don't work. They create a divide between families and schools which are held responsible for the charges despite receiving none of the revenue they generate. 'Price gouging by holiday companies means that parents are calculating that the fines are cheaper than a trip abroad during school holidays. 'What is needed is government regulation of these industries.' When asked if the fines work, Kate said: 'They're a good deterrent for people who regularly take their kids out of school. 'But [the Government] raising them to £80 probably won't make any difference to the number [of parents taking their children out of school] unless holiday companies change their pricing policies.' A spokesperson for The Advantage Travel Partnership, said: "Supply vs. demand has always been an age-old debate, and whilst some of the most popular destinations will inevitably see a rise in price over the school holiday period, there will always be plenty of great deals to be found. For anyone looking to find the best value holidays for 2025, we recommend booking well in advance to take advantage of the early booking discounts and free child places on offer as well as increased availability of flights and accommodation. 'Booking early also offers the added benefits of being able to budget appropriately in advance and stagger payments. If travellers are able to be flexible on the dates, location and the airport they travel from then they will have a higher chance of finding a better deal. For those looking to manage costs, all-inclusive is increasingly the most popular board basis across our travel agent partners as it allows travellers to manage their budgets and pay for the full cost of a holiday upfront. Cruises offer another good option for those looking to budget in advance. 'Across our travel agent partners we are seeing increased bookings for families outside of the traditional summer holiday period. With Easter falling later this year, many families took this opportunity for a holiday. Similarly, we are seeing increased demand for the October half term as travellers can take advantage of the cooler weather and less crowded destinations. 'When it comes to booking holidays, we always advise booking with a travel agent. They have an incredible amount of knowledge and access to a vast number of holidays and deals that won't be found elsewhere. They are best placed to help travellers research the ideal destination to visit for their budget."
