Parents demand scrap of school holiday fines as petition tops 138,000 and record penalties are issued

From the Newshound archive · first published 29 September 2026 · last updated 30 September 2026.

A petition demanding an end to term-time holiday fines has surpassed 138,000 signatures, as official data shows the number of penalties issued to parents last year reached a record 459,288 — a four per cent rise on the previous year. The government has rejected the calls outright, maintaining that Fixed Penalty Notices serve a "vital" function in supporting attendance. Campaigners contend the fines amount to "a stealth tax" that punishes families who cannot afford travel industry prices during school holidays.

Fines start at £80 per parent for a week's unauthorised absence, rising to £160 if unpaid within 21 days — and £160 immediately for a second offence within three years.

Carrie Howarth, 37, was issued two fines after taking her autistic son Sebastian out of school in term time, explaining that the school holiday period was "too overwhelming" for him.

Kashmir, 47, of Walsall, saved £3,900 by travelling to Florida with her children a week before the summer break ends — and says families are being "made to feel like criminals".