Penalty notices for unauthorised absence/holiday
The New National Framework for Penalty Notices for absence came into force on 19 August 2024.
Helping schools understand Penalty Notice Fines for school attendance.
National Threshold
A single consistent national threshold for when a Penalty Notice must be considered by ALL schools in England, this is:
- 10 sessions (usually equivalent to 5 school days) of unauthorised absence within a rolling 10 school week period.
- These sessions do not have to be consecutive and can be made up of a combination of any type of unauthorised absence.
- For example, a 5-day unauthorised leave of absence would meet the national threshold.
- The 10-school week period can span different terms or school years.
First Offence
The first time a Penalty Notice is issued for unauthorised absence, the fine amount will be:
- £80 per parent, per child if paid within 21 days.
- If not paid within 21 days, the fine will increase to £160 per parent, per child, payable between the 22nd and 28th day.
Second Offence (within 3 years)
The second time a Penalty Notice is issued for unauthorised absence, a reduced rate is not available. The amount therefore will be:
- £160 per parent, per child – payable within 28 days.
Third Offence and Any Further Offences (within 3 years)
The third time an offence is committed, a Penalty Notice WILL NOT be issued, and the case will be presented straight to the Magistrate’s Court:
- Prosecution can result in criminal records and fines of up to £2,500.
- Cases found guilty in a Magistrates Court can show on the parent’s future DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) certificate (Disclosure and Barring Service) due to a ‘failure to safeguard a child’s education’.
Education penalty notices code of conduct
The Statutory Attendance & Participation Team have produced the following documents to assist schools.
Penalty Notice Checklist
A checklist has been developed to assist schools in ensuring that any Fixed Penalty Notice application complies with DfE Expectations.
When completing a request for a Fixed Penalty Notice Application to be issued, please ensure that all sections are completed and in detail.