Parents fined more than £300,000 since 2021 in BCP

Data has revealed that 7,102 fines have been issued by BCP Council since 2021, with figures rising year on year. 

Unauthorised absences can see parents slapped with a £60 fine which increases to £120 per child if it is not paid within 21 days with a potential for prosecution for non-payment of 28 days.  

A total of 1,737 penalty notices were given to parents between 2021/22, soaring to 2,782 the following year.  

This year so far, the local authority has handed out 2,583 fines for unauthorised pupil absences - with figures set to reach record highs by the end of the academic year. 

Fines amounted to a total of £37,785 in 2021/22, rising to £126,520 the following year and for this academic year up until June 24, £153,709 has been dished out. 

In total, parents have paid £318,014 in fines since 2021. 

(Image: Cllr Richard Burton)

BCP Council’s cabinet member for education Richard Burton said: “Good academic progress at school is proven to have a strong link with maintaining a high attendance. 

“Fines for school term-time absence are set by the Government as part of their national framework and are issued by the council on behalf of a school which requests it. 

“Our team meets with each school on a termly basis and works closely with them to identify cases of persistent non-attendance. 

“For these children, we work alongside our partners to support the families and remove barriers which could be preventing their child attending.” 

According to the council, more than 400 cases have been sent for prosecution following non-payment. 710 instances were not paid within 21 days. 

The data, obtained by an FOI by Legal Expert, does not break down the reason for absences and don’t just mean, for example, taking a child abroad during term time. 

School absence fines for unauthorised absences currently start at £60, rising to £120 if they are not paid within 21 days. From this autumn, they will instead start at £80, rising to £160.