Parents face prosecution if they fail to pay fines for taking children out of school, minister says – By Jennifer Scott (Sky News) / Feb 29, 2024
The government is increasing fines for parents who take their children out of school as part of an “attendance drive”.
Parents face prosecution if they fail to pay fines for taking their children out of school, a minister has said.
Education minister Damian Hinds said there had to be a “deterrent” for taking children out of school unnecessarily during term time.
It comes as the government announced overnight that fines for parents whose children miss school will rise by at least £20 as part of an “attendance drive”.
The Department for Education (DfE) said a national framework would be introduced from the start of the 2024/25 school year “to help tackle inconsistencies” in how much institutions charge for unauthorised absences, and all parents must be considered for the penalty if a child misses five days.
