Term Time Holiday Fines Costs and Payment Rules

Taking a family holiday during school term time can sometimes look like the only affordable option, particularly when flights and accommodation become much more expensive during school holidays. But a cheaper trip can become considerably more expensive if your child's absence is unauthorised and a school attendance penalty notice follows.

In England, the rules changed significantly from 19 August 2024. A national threshold now means a penalty notice must generally be considered when a child has 10 unauthorised sessions, normally equivalent to five school days, within a rolling 10-school-week period. For a first penalty notice, the charge is normally £80 if paid within 21 days, rising to £160 if paid within 28 days. A second notice for the same parent and child within three years is £160 with no reduced early-payment rate.

The rules are not identical throughout the UK, however. Wales operates its own fixed-penalty framework, while Scotland and Northern Ireland use different approaches to unauthorised term-time absence and enforcement.

This guide explains how term-time holiday fines work, how much you may have to pay, when the payment deadline applies, what happens if you ignore a notice, and what parents should do if there are exceptional circumstances or genuine difficulties with attendance.

Term Time Holiday Fines: How Much They Are, When You Must Pay and What Happens Next

What is a term-time holiday fine?

A term-time holiday fine is generally a penalty notice issued because a child has missed school without authorised permission. It is not a charge imposed by the holiday company or the school itself for taking a holiday. In England, penalty notices are part of the legal framework used to address unauthorised school absence.

Parents have a legal responsibility to make sure children of compulsory school age receive an appropriate education and, where they are registered at school, attend regularly. The Department for Education's attendance framework gives schools and local authorities a range of measures for responding to absence.

A holiday during term time is not automatically authorised simply because a parent has booked it or because the family believes the trip is reasonable.

The key question is whether the school has authorised the absence.

If permission is refused and the child is taken out of school anyway, the absence can be recorded as unauthorised. Depending on the circumstances and the number of unauthorised sessions involved, a penalty notice may then be considered.

How much is a term-time holiday fine in England?

For the first penalty notice issued to a parent for a particular child within the relevant three-year period, the standard amount is:

The figures apply per parent and per child under the national framework in England. That distinction matters for families with more than one child.

For example, if two parents take two children out of school without authorisation and penalty notices are issued to both parents for both children, the potential liability can be substantially higher than a single £80 fine.

The regulations introduced the £80/£160 structure and limited the number of penalty notices that can be issued to the same parent for the same child within a three-year period.

When must you pay a term-time holiday fine?

For a first penalty notice in England, you have 21 days from receipt of the notice to pay £80.

If you do not pay during that reduced-payment period, the amount increases to £160, which must normally be paid within 28 days of receipt.

The distinction is important. The £80 figure is not simply the standard fine with a suggested discount whenever you get around to paying it. The regulations create a specific payment window.

After 28 days, the matter can move towards prosecution rather than simply allowing you to continue paying the £160 penalty.

The Department for Education's published statistics confirm that for 2024/25 the penalty was £80 when paid within 21 days, rising to £160 after that point. If it was not paid within 28 days, the local authority had to either prosecute for the original offence or withdraw the notice.

How many days off school can trigger a fine?

In England, the national threshold is 10 unauthorised sessions within a rolling 10-school-week period.

A school session is normally one morning or one afternoon, meaning 10 sessions usually correspond to five full school days.

Those sessions do not necessarily have to be consecutive.

This means a five-school-day holiday can meet the threshold by itself. It also means parents should not assume that splitting absence into several shorter periods automatically avoids the rules. The 10-week period can cross terms and, in some circumstances, school years.

Example: a five-day holiday

Suppose a child misses Monday to Friday for a family holiday.

That produces:

• Monday morning and afternoon = 2 sessions
• Tuesday morning and afternoon = 2 sessions
• Wednesday morning and afternoon = 2 sessions
• Thursday morning and afternoon = 2 sessions
• Friday morning and afternoon = 2 sessions

Total: 10 unauthorised sessions.

That meets the national threshold at which a penalty notice must be considered.

Does the holiday have to be five consecutive days?

No.

The national threshold in England is based on 10 unauthorised sessions within a rolling 10-school-week period, not simply five consecutive days.

For instance, a child could have several unauthorised absences for different reasons and later be taken on a three-day holiday. If the combined total reaches the threshold, a penalty notice may be considered.

Local authorities can also have procedures dealing with parents who appear to be deliberately avoiding the threshold by repeatedly taking shorter periods of unauthorised leave.

Can a school refuse a term-time holiday request?

Yes.

In England, parents do not have an automatic right to take their child out of school for a family holiday during term time.

A headteacher or principal decides whether leave can be authorised, taking account of the circumstances and the school's attendance responsibilities.

A cheaper holiday, convenient travel dates or difficulty obtaining annual leave does not automatically make the absence authorised.

That does not mean every request is treated identically. Genuine exceptional circumstances can be considered, and parents should explain the circumstances to the school before making arrangements.

The safest approach is simple: ask for permission before booking or taking the child out of school.

What counts as exceptional circumstances?

There is no universal rule saying that every family situation must result in authorised leave.

Schools consider the circumstances of individual cases. The nature of the reason, the child's attendance history, the timing and duration of the absence, and other relevant factors can all matter.

A parent should therefore avoid assuming that an unusual situation automatically creates a legal entitlement to term-time leave.

If the circumstances are serious, explain them clearly and provide supporting evidence where appropriate.

A request such as "the holiday was cheaper in term time" is very different from a request involving significant family circumstances that genuinely require the child to be absent.

Is a warning always required before a holiday fine?

Not necessarily.

One of the common misconceptions about term-time holiday fines is that a school must always send a warning letter before a penalty notice can be issued.

Local procedures and the circumstances of the case matter. Some authorities may use warning or support processes, but an absence that meets the relevant criteria can lead to a penalty notice without the kind of warning parents may expect.

For example, Lambeth Council states that a penalty notice can be issued for unauthorised term-time leave without a warning.

Parents should therefore not treat a warning letter as a mandatory first stage in every case.

Who actually issues the fine?

The process normally involves several parties.

The school records the absence and decides whether the absence should be authorised. Where the relevant criteria are met, the school can request enforcement action.

The local authority then administers or issues the penalty notice according to its applicable code and the national framework.

This is why a parent may communicate primarily with the school about the reason for absence but receive payment instructions from a council or attendance service.

The payment instructions on the actual notice should always be followed. Do not rely on a payment method found on an unrelated website or an old letter.

What happens if you do not pay the fine?

Ignoring a penalty notice does not make the underlying absence disappear.

In England, if the notice is not paid within the required period, the local authority may proceed with prosecution for the attendance offence or withdraw the notice, depending on the circumstances and applicable procedure.

Court proceedings are different from accepting a penalty notice.

If a parent is prosecuted and convicted, the court can impose a substantially higher fine. Under section 444 of the Education Act 1996, the potential maximum can reach £1,000 for the basic offence, while the more serious aggravated offence can carry a fine of up to £2,500. Some local authorities also explain that further sanctions may be considered after repeated offences.

The practical lesson is that ignoring correspondence is usually the worst option.

If you believe the notice is wrong, contact the issuing authority or seek appropriate legal advice rather than simply allowing the deadline to pass.

How many fines can a parent receive?

England introduced a limit on penalty notices for the same parent and child.

Generally, no more than two penalty notices can be issued to the same parent for the same child within a rolling three-year period.

The second notice is charged at £160, with no £80 early-payment rate.

If a third offence occurs within the three-year period, a further penalty notice will not normally be issued. The case can instead move towards other legal enforcement, including prosecution.

This makes repeated term-time absence much more serious than a one-off dispute over a holiday.

What does "per parent, per child" mean?

The wording can cause confusion.

Suppose a family has:

• two parents with parental responsibility or responsibility for the child; and
• two children who are both absent without authorisation.

If penalty notices are issued to each parent for each child, the family could receive four notices.

At the first-offence reduced rate, that could theoretically mean:

2 parents × 2 children × £80 = £320

If the reduced-payment deadline is missed:

2 × 2 × £160 = £640

The actual notices issued depend on the circumstances and local authority process, so parents should use the figures on their own correspondence rather than assuming a particular number of notices will always be issued.

What if you have more than one child?

Each child has an individual attendance record.

A family holiday affecting three children can therefore result in separate notices for each child, rather than one family-wide fine.

This is another reason why the headline figure of "£80 school fine" can be misleading when discussing the total financial exposure for a household.

Local authority guidance confirms that penalty notices can operate on a per-parent, per-child basis.

Can you appeal a term-time holiday fine?

There is no general statutory appeal route after an English penalty notice has been issued in the same way that people might appeal a parking or administrative penalty.

However, that does not mean you should ignore a notice you believe has been issued incorrectly.

If you believe there is a factual or procedural error, contact the school or issuing local authority promptly. Some councils explain that parents can raise issues such as the notice being issued to the wrong person and, where applicable, elect to have the underlying matter dealt with through the court process.

Because the consequences can become more serious after the payment deadline, professional

legal advice may be appropriate in a disputed or complicated case.

What if you cannot afford the fine?

Do not simply ignore the notice because you cannot pay.

Penalty notices generally have fixed deadlines, and local authorities may not offer instalment arrangements. For example, East Sussex states that its education penalty notices cannot be paid in instalments.

Contact the issuing authority as soon as possible if you are experiencing financial difficulty.

You can also speak to the school about wider attendance support. The attendance system is not intended to operate only as punishment; government guidance emphasises support for families and pupils where attendance difficulties exist.

Are the rules the same in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland?

No. This is one of the most important points for anyone searching for "UK term-time holiday fines".

Wales

Wales has its own fixed-penalty system for regular unauthorised absence. Welsh Government guidance says parents do not have an automatic right to remove children for holidays during term time, although headteachers have discretion to authorise holiday leave in appropriate circumstances.

The exact penalty and local process can differ from England.

For example, Carmarthenshire currently explains that its fixed penalty notice is £60 when paid within the applicable early period and £120 thereafter, while its local threshold and procedures are set out separately.

Parents in Wales should therefore check their own local authority's current code rather than applying England's £80/£160 figures automatically.

Scotland

Scotland does not operate the same national £80/£160 penalty-notice framework used in England.

Scottish Government guidance says family holidays during term time should generally be recorded as unauthorised absence except in exceptional circumstances, such as certain employment situations or serious family circumstances. It is for education authorities and schools to determine what sanctions, if any, should be used.

The Scottish Government's 2024/25 statistics show that unauthorised holidays represented 1.1% of possible school openings, the highest figure in its time series since 2009/10.

Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland also has a separate system.

Parents are legally responsible for ensuring children attend school regularly. Term-time family holidays are usually treated as unauthorised, and the Education Welfare Service can become involved when attendance is a concern. Prosecution is described as a last resort, but a magistrates' court can fine a parent up to £1,000 for each child for failing to ensure regular attendance.

So a headline such as "term-time holiday fines are £80" should never be presented as a universal UK rule.

Does taking a cheap holiday justify the risk?

Financially, parents sometimes compare the cost of a holiday during term time with the potential fine.

That calculation is incomplete.

The financial risk can include:

• the penalty notice itself;
• a higher amount if the early payment deadline is missed;
• separate notices for different parents and children;
• potential legal costs or court consequences;
• disruption to lessons, assessments or examinations;
• additional attendance concerns if the child already has unauthorised absences.

The fact that a term-time holiday saves £500 does not make the penalty £500 "worth it" automatically.

There is also no guarantee that a school will authorise the absence simply because the alternative holiday price is much higher.

What should you do before booking a term-time holiday?

A sensible process is:

1. Check the school's published term dates.
Do not rely solely on a generic national school calendar. Individual schools can have inset days and other arrangements.

2. Ask the school about its leave-of-absence policy.
Find out what circumstances it considers exceptional.

3. Make the request before the absence.
Retrospective approval should not be assumed.

4. Explain genuine circumstances clearly.
If there is a serious reason for the request, provide relevant evidence.

5. Wait for the decision.
Do not treat silence as permission.

6. If permission is refused, understand the consequences before proceeding.
Taking the child anyway can result in unauthorised absence and enforcement.

This approach is far safer than booking first and asking questions later.

What should you do if you have already taken the holiday?

If the holiday has already happened and the school records it as unauthorised, communicate with the school promptly.

If you receive a penalty notice, read it carefully.

Check:

• the child's name;
• the parent or carer's name;
• the dates of absence;
• the amount payable;
• the date the notice was issued or received;
• the deadline for the reduced payment;
• the final payment deadline;
• the payment instructions;
• contact information for the issuing authority.

If anything appears incorrect, raise it quickly with the relevant school or local authority.

Do not assume that ignoring the letter creates an opportunity to negotiate later.

Why are term-time holiday fines being enforced more consistently?

Attendance policy has become more structured in recent years.

England introduced the national framework from August 2024, creating a consistent threshold and penalty structure across local authorities. The Department for Education's 2024/25 statistics show that 492,800 penalty notices were issued for unauthorised absence, with 459,300, or 93%, relating to unauthorised family holidays.

Those figures demonstrate just how significant term-time holidays are within the penalty-notice system.

The policy objective is not simply to collect fines. The wider attendance framework is intended to improve regular school attendance and encourage schools, local authorities and families to address barriers to attendance.

What does the future of term-time holiday fines look like?

The direction of travel is toward more consistent attendance monitoring, clearer thresholds and greater use of data.

England's national framework already represents a move away from highly variable local approaches. The Department for Education also updated its statutory attendance guidance in July 2026, including technical clarifications.

It is reasonable to expect attendance systems to become increasingly data-driven, particularly as schools and local authorities improve their ability to identify patterns of absence.

That does not necessarily mean that every term-time absence will automatically result in a fine. Individual circumstances and the distinction between authorised and unauthorised absence remain important.

For parents, the practical preparation is straightforward: know the school's term dates, understand its absence policy, request permission in advance and keep records of important correspondence.

Key Insights

• In England, the first penalty notice is normally £80 if paid within 21 days, rising to £160 if paid within 28 days.
• The national threshold is 10 unauthorised sessions, usually five school days, within a rolling 10-school-week period.
• The 10 sessions do not necessarily have to be consecutive.
• A second penalty notice for the same parent and child within three years is normally £160 with no early-payment reduction.
• After two penalty notices within three years, further offences can lead to prosecution rather than another penalty notice.
• The rules are different in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, so England's £80/£160 figures should not be treated as UK-wide.
• If you believe a notice is incorrect or you cannot pay it, deal with it promptly rather than allowing the deadline to expire.
• The safest way to avoid a term-time holiday fine is to obtain the school's permission before taking your child out of school.

FAQ

1. How much is a term-time holiday fine in England?

A first penalty notice is normally £80 if paid within 21 days. If it is not paid during that period, it rises to £160, which must normally be paid within 28 days. The amount is generally calculated per parent and per child.

2. How many days off school before you get a fine?

In England, a penalty notice must generally be considered when a child reaches 10 unauthorised sessions within a rolling 10-school-week period. Ten sessions usually correspond to five full school days.

3. Do five days off school count as 10 sessions?

Yes. Schools normally record attendance twice a day, once in the morning and once in the afternoon. Five full school days therefore usually equal 10 sessions, which meets the national penalty-notice threshold in England.

4. Does a term-time holiday have to be five consecutive days?

No. The English threshold is based on 10 unauthorised sessions within a rolling 10-school-week period. The sessions do not necessarily have to be consecutive and can involve different types of unauthorised absence.

5. Can a school fine me for taking my child on holiday?

The school itself does not simply charge a holiday fee. If the absence is unauthorised, the school can request a penalty notice through the applicable attendance enforcement process. The local authority normally administers the penalty notice.

6. Can I be fined if the holiday was cheaper during term time?

Yes, potentially. Lower travel or accommodation prices do not automatically make a term-time holiday an authorised absence. Parents should request permission before taking their child out of school.

7. Do both parents have to pay a school attendance fine?

A penalty notice can be issued per parent and per child. Consequently, more than one parent may receive a separate notice for the same absence, depending on the circumstances and the local authority's procedures.

8. What happens if I do not pay a term-time holiday fine?

In England, failure to pay within the specified period can result in the penalty notice being withdrawn or the underlying attendance offence being taken forward for prosecution. A court can impose a substantially higher fine.

9. Can a term-time holiday fine be paid in instalments?

Do not assume that instalments are available. Penalty notices generally have fixed payment arrangements, and some councils explicitly state that instalment payments are not permitted. Check the instructions on your actual notice.

10. Can I appeal a school attendance penalty notice?

There is generally no statutory appeal process after an English penalty notice has been issued. If you believe it was issued incorrectly, contact the issuing authority promptly and explain the specific error or circumstances rather than ignoring the notice.

11. How many school attendance fines can you get?

In England, there is generally a limit of two penalty notices to the same parent for the same child within a rolling three-year period. A third offence can instead result in other enforcement action, including possible prosecution.

12. Are term-time holiday fines the same across the UK?

No. England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland have different attendance and enforcement arrangements. The £80 and £160 figures apply to the English national penalty-notice framework and should not automatically be applied elsewhere in the UK.

13. Can a headteacher approve a holiday during term time?

A headteacher can consider a request for leave of absence, but parents do not have an automatic right to term-time holiday leave. The circumstances and the school's applicable attendance policy determine whether the absence can be authorised.

14. Can I be fined in Wales for a term-time holiday?

Potentially. Wales has its own fixed penalty notice framework for regular unauthorised absence, and term-time holidays can be treated as unauthorised. Local authority procedures and codes of conduct determine how enforcement is applied.

15. What is the best way to avoid a term-time holiday fine?

Check the school's term dates, read its attendance policy and request leave before booking or taking the holiday. If the school refuses permission, understand the potential consequences before deciding whether to proceed.

Final Thoughts

Term-time holiday fines are no longer something parents can safely treat as a minor administrative charge, particularly in England.

The most important figure to remember is £80 for a first penalty notice when paid within 21 days, rising to £160 if that early payment window is missed. The national threshold is normally 10 unauthorised sessions within 10 school weeks, equivalent to five school days. A second notice within three years is £160, while further offences can move into more serious legal enforcement.

But the bigger lesson is that there is no single "UK school holiday fine". Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own rules, thresholds and enforcement approaches.

If you are considering a term-time holiday, the safest route is to speak to the school before making the trip. If exceptional circumstances genuinely apply, explain them clearly and provide evidence where appropriate.

And if you have already received a penalty notice, deal with the correspondence before the payment deadline rather than hoping the issue will disappear.

A cheaper holiday can be tempting, but once an unauthorised absence becomes an attendance enforcement matter, the true cost can be much higher than the difference between term-time and school-holiday prices.

Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is for general informational and research purposes only. Company details, features, services, and market positions may change over time. Readers are advised to visit official company websites and conduct independent research before making any business decisions or purchasing services.