This guide concerns school-attendance penalties in England. The framework introduced in August 2024 is not a UK-wide rule. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have their own arrangements. If you live outside England, ask your school or local education authority for the rules that apply.
When must a penalty notice be considered?
For state-funded schools in England, the national threshold is 10 sessions of unauthorised absence within a rolling period of 10 school weeks. A session is a morning or afternoon, so 10 sessions usually equal five school days. They need not be consecutive, and the period can span terms or school years.
Reaching the threshold means considering a penalty notice in the individual case, not an automatic fine. Schools must consider appropriate support and individual circumstances. The Department for Education’s statutory attendance guidance sets out the framework, including disability-related considerations. The threshold is not an allowance of absence before action is possible.
First and repeat penalties
- First notice: £80 if paid within 21 days, rising to £160 if paid within 28 days.
- Second notice for the same parent and child within three years: £160, payable within 28 days, without the £80 reduction.
- Further offending within that period: a third penalty notice is not the normal route; other action, including prosecution, may be considered.
The limit and escalation apply per parent, per child. More than one parent can receive a notice, and separate children can mean separate notices. Non-payment can lead to prosecution for the attendance offence. Read GOV.UK’s enforcement guidance and the instructions on the actual notice.
Do not treat a fine as permission for a holiday
Paying a penalty does not authorise an absence. Ask the school about leave before booking, and get its decision in writing. Do not rely on a friend’s experience, a travel agent’s explanation or the assumption that an affordable fine settles everything.
Illness and barriers to attendance need a different conversation
A child who is ill or struggling with health, anxiety, bullying or unmet special educational needs needs the cause understood. Contact the school promptly and follow its absence-reporting process. Ask how the absence is being recorded and what information the school needs.
Request a meeting with the appropriate staff, including the special educational needs coordinator where relevant. Describe the difficulty concretely: what happens in the morning, which parts of school are difficult and what has already been tried. Ask for agreed actions and a review date.
SEND does not create an automatic exemption from every attendance rule, but a family’s circumstances and the support required must not be ignored. The Department for Education’s explanation for parents discusses support where children face barriers.
If a notice arrives
- Check the parent, child, dates and absence details.
- Note the payment deadlines immediately.
- If something is wrong, contact the issuing council promptly and ask about its correction or withdrawal process.
- Seek qualified advice if prosecution is threatened; do not assume a query pauses the deadline.
For related support, see when your child feels low and Dad Resources. This article is general information, not a legal assessment of a notice.
Updated 10 September 2026. Sources used for the guidance are linked above.
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