Parents and guardians in one part of England have been hit with fines totalling almost £100,000 for taking their children out of school without permission. The substantial sum was accumulated through penalty notices issued over a 14-month period.
Scale of Fines Revealed in Council Data
New figures show that North Tyneside Council issued a total of 1,283 fines for unauthorised school absences between September 2024 and November 2025. The cumulative value of these penalties reached £98,120.
The standard fine is £80 per child, per parent for the entire period of an unauthorised absence. However, if the penalty is not paid within 21 days, the amount doubles to £160. The council confirmed that any money received from these fines is reinvested directly into support services that work with schools to improve attendance.
Government Rejects Petition for Term-Time Leave
This crackdown on absences comes despite significant public pressure for more flexibility. Last year, the government formally rejected a petition, signed by 181,597 people, which called for parents to be allowed to take children out of school for up to 10 days without facing a fine.
The petition, debated by MPs, argued that many families cannot afford the high cost of holidays during official school breaks. However, School Standards Minister Georgia Gould defended the decision, warning that the UK is still grappling with an "absence epidemic".
Mark Mirfin, North Tyneside Council's interim director of children's services, emphasised the importance of regular attendance. "When children attend school regularly, it has a direct and positive impact on their learning, their opportunities and their long-term success in life," he said.
Consequences and the National Attendance Crisis
The consequences for non-payment or continued unauthorised absence are severe. Parents risk prosecution, which can lead to a fine of up to £2,500, a community order, or even a prison sentence of up to three months.
This local enforcement reflects a national challenge. A report by the Centre for Social Justice highlighted that persistent school absence has reached crisis levels, with nearly one in five pupils missing significant school time in the 2023/24 academic year.
Department for Education figures for autumn 2024 showed about 147,000 pupils in England (2%) were severely absent, missing at least half of their possible lessons. While the overall absence rate showed a slight improvement, the problem remains acute.
Despite the high number of fines, North Tyneside Council stated that its unauthorised absence rate remains "below both regional and national averages", crediting strong school leadership and partnership working.
