Education penalty notices

1. Overview

Education Penalty Notices are fixed penalty notices aimed at reducing the levels of unauthorised absence from schools.

They're mainly used as a measure to address attendance problems at an early stage before they come entrenched. However, they can also be used as a response to unauthorised term time holidays.

Things to know about penalty notices

• Education Penalty Notices are fixed penalty fines. They're issued to parents in relation to unauthorised absences of their children from school
• The Local Authority, schools or the police can issue them, although we issue penalty notices on behalf of these agencies
• Education Penalty Notices impose a fixed penalty fine upon each parent
• The level of the fine is £60 which increases to £120 if unpaid after 21 days.
• Upon payment a parent’s legal liability in respect of the relevant period of absence is discharged. Also, he or she cannot be prosecuted for the period of non-attendance in question