As the Easter half term nears its end in England, children are all set to return to schools. Scores of families have gone on holiday over the Easter period, but for families who have ventured abroad, a fine of £160 might be on the way if flight delays lead to their children missing school.
Legal experts at HCB Solicitors have issued a warning to families that they could face fines due to cancelled or delayed flights and shouldn’t expect airlines to cover the costs. The firm’s analysis of Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) data highlighted that last May, UK airports had an average delay of 17 minutes and nearly 1,901 flight cancellations.
Under the current regulations, parents can be fined £80 per parent for unauthorised absence of their child from school, even when the reason is travel disruption beyond their control.
Education Lawyer Samantha Hale at HCB Solicitors said: “Fines are issued to each parent regardless of whether they live with the child, and for each child who misses school. That’s £160 for just one child missing one day and unfortunately, flight delays aren’t a valid excuse.”
“Local Authorities technically have the power to prosecute parents for non-attendance in Magistrates’ Court, though this is usually reserved for persistent absences rather than one-off cases.”
HCB Solicitors reached out to several UK airlines to inquire whether they would reimburse parents for fines incurred due to travel delays. One airline clarified their position with the statement: “We regret that under the EU 261/2004 the airline is not liable for your loss of earnings or days in school or work.”
This indicates that passengers are left without recourse for compensation when flights are cancelled, even if it isn’t their fault, and airlines won’t offer assistance for incurred fines.
Samantha added: “We need better support for parents who find themselves stranded abroad. When your flight gets cancelled, you’re already stressing about where to sleep that night, how to feed your children, and how to get home. The last thing families need is an added financial penalty for something entirely out of their control.”
Parents across the UK have been issued a stern warning that they could be hit with fines of up to £2,500 for persistently taking their children out of school. A shocking 443,000 fines were dished out in the last academic year as parents took their kids on unauthorised term-time holidays, marking a record-breaking increase of 53 percent since the pandemic.
This comes hot on the heels of Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson’s announcement of plans to ramp up fines. Parents who let their children play truant without a valid excuse can face a range of orders and penalties. Previously, local councils could slap families with an initial fine of £60, but this has now been hiked up to £80. If the fine isn’t paid within 21 days, it doubles to £160.
Schools and local authorities also hold the power to enforce parenting orders, education supervision orders, and school attendance orders, alongside fines or penalty notices. From the 2024/2025 academic year onwards, each parent will only be able to receive two fines within a three-year period, with the second fine automatically set at £160.
If your child skips school three or more times within three years without a good reason, you may find yourself in court where the penalties significantly escalate. Parents dragged into court could face a hefty £2,500 fine, a community order, a parenting order, or even a jail sentence of up to three months.
Parents struggling to get their children to school could be hit with a parenting order, forcing them to attend parenting seminars and meet other court-ordered improvements for their child’s attendance. If the council believes you need help getting your child to school and you’re not cooperating, they may issue an education supervision order, assigning you a supervisor for support.
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