New data reveals that families in North Tyneside were fined nearly £100,000 for unauthorized school absences by their children. The fines, totaling £98,120, were issued by the North Tyneside Council to 1,283 parents and guardians between September 2024 and November 2025. Each absence incurred a fine of £80 per child, per parent for the entire period of absence. If the fine is not settled within 21 days, it doubles. Despite calls for leniency on term-time holidays, the Government rejected the proposal, citing concerns over the increasing number of students missing classes.
The council stated that North Tyneside’s unapproved absence rate remains lower than both regional and national averages. The funds collected from fines are reinvested into support services that collaborate with schools.
Failure to pay fines or persistent unauthorized absences could lead to prosecution, resulting in fines of up to £2,500 per parent per child, a community order, or even a prison sentence of up to three months. If a parent receives a second penalty notice for the same child within three years, the fine remains at £160 with no early payment discount.
Mark Mirfin, interim director of children’s services at North Tyneside Council, emphasized the importance of regular school attendance for children’s learning and long-term success. A report by the Centre for Social Justice highlighted a concerning rise in persistent school absence, with nearly 20% of pupils missing substantial school time in 2023/24.
Despite ongoing debates, the government rejected a petition last year, signed by over 181,000 individuals, advocating for a 10-day allowance for parents to take children out of school without incurring fines. School Standards Minister Georgia Gould cautioned against the absence crisis in the UK.
Recent statistics show an increase in severely absent pupils in England in autumn 2024, with over 147,000 children missing at least half of their possible class time. While the overall absence rate decreased to 6.9% in the 2024/25 academic year, Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson hailed the progress in improving school attendance.
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