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PARENTS are being warned that term-time holidays could now lead to higher fines.
An attendance crackdown in England begins in September, and parents in England could face an initial penalty of £80 per child, per parent for unauthorised absences, rising to £160 if not paid promptly.
Tom Vaughan, travel insurance expert at Confused.com, said: "For some families, taking some extra holiday days during term-time can seem appealing, with rates often being cheaper outside peak school holiday periods.
"Our research found that parents or guardians say they saved £567 on average when taking trips during term time.
"But it doesn't come without financial consequences, with UK parents issued £41 million in fines for term-time holidays between 2022 and 2024."
From September, every mainstream state school in England will be given its own target to improve pupil attendance as part of a wider government crackdown on absence.
This likely means absences are tracked more closely, and term-time trips are more likely to be flagged.
If term-time travel becomes a regular occurrence, councils can also take legal action, with court fines of up to £2,500.
Confused.com has launched a school fines calculator to help parents understand potential costs and local authority rules before booking.