Parents in Manchester fined £1.4m for taking children out of school

Parents in Manchester were fined £1.4m for taking children out of school in the last three years, a Freedom of Information request has found.

More than 20,000 fines were given to parents in 2022, 2023, and 2024 for unauthorised absences from Manchester schools, the request submitted by the Local Democracy Reporting Service revealed.

The number of fines rose from 5,179 in 2022 to 8,138 in 2024 — meaning the amount collected by Manchester council surpassed the £1.4m mark. In total, fines issued were worth £1,421,933.

Manchester City Council said it was important for pupils to be in school.

“We can fine the parent or carer of any pupil who’s between the age of five and 16 and goes to any primary or secondary school, academy or pupil referral unit in the area covered by Manchester council,” a notice on the authority’s website says.

“Good attendance at school helps your child reach their full potential. If you’ve any concerns, contact the school – they can offer support and guidance.”

Julie Reid, executive councillor for children, added in a statement: “All the evidence points to a clear connection between school attendance and achievement – the more time pupils spend in school, the higher their chances of success.

“Before asking the council to issue fines on their behalf, schools work very hard with pupils and parents to try and ensure pupils are in school every day they should be, including working with families to help resolve any barriers that may be getting in the way of this.”

The penalties are set nationally by the government, and the first fine is worth £80, but it can rise to £160 if parents do not pay within three weeks. A second fine is worth £160 immediately.

New rules for the current academic year mean parents can only be fined twice in a three-year window for one child, but a third unauthorised absence could mean parents are taken to court to be fined up to £2,500.

More severe methods include parents being given a community order, and possibly a jail sentence of up to three months.