Important Update – Changes to Education-related Penalty Notices

Information for Parents

You may be aware that the Department for Education announced national changes to penalty notices issued for unauthorised absence in term time. These changes came into effect on 19 August 2024.

The changes to be aware of are:

• Penalty notices issued for offences that take place after 19 August 2024 will be charged at a new rate of £160 per parent per child. This can be paid at £80 if paid within 21 days.

• Any second penalty notice issued to the same parent for the same child within a rolling 3-year period will be issued at the rate of £160 to be paid within 28 days with no option for a discounted rate.

• The threshold at which a penalty notice must be considered is set at 10 sessions (equivalent to 5 days) of unauthorised absence within a rolling 10-school week period[1]. This may include absences as a result of arriving late after the register closes. The 10 school weeks may span different terms or school years.

• A maximum of 2 penalty notices may be issued to a parent for the same child within a rolling 3-year period, so at the 3rd (or subsequent) offence(s) another course of action will need to be considered (such as prosecution or one of the other attendance legal interventions). 

Attendance Policies