Parents will be docked benefits for taking break in school terms

Parents who take their children on holiday during term-time could have £120 docked from their child benefits under new government rules.

Parents could suffer financially if they take their children on holiday during term-time (Picture: Alamy)

Headteachers will be given the power to fine parents between £50 and £60 for taking their children out of primary school without a valid reason. 

If they fail to pay on time, the fine will be doubled and deducted from their child benefit payments – or they will be taken to court if they do not receive handouts. 

Latest figures show 54million days of school were missed last year and almost 400,000 children missed the equivalent of a month off school. 

But with family holidays costing an average of £800 more during school holidays, headteachers warned the fine would be ineffective. 

‘It doesn’t matter if it’s £50, £60 or £120, raising it will not make any more of a significant deterrent,’ said Pete Mountstephen, a spokesman for the National Primary Headteachers Association. 

‘Compared to the sums of money parents are saving on holiday, £60 is silly, it won’t even cover the airport tax.’ 

Charlie Taylor, the government’s adviser on educational behaviour, said: ‘Recouping the fines through child benefit, along with other changes to the overall system, will strengthen and simplify the system.’ 

But Siobhan Freegard, from online parent forum Netmums, said most of its members would be against the fine. 

‘Most anger comes against travel companies for hiking prices during holiday time,’ she added. 

‘The school fines aren’t much against the cost of the holiday.’ 

Breaks during school holidays cost almost double at other times, according to research last year by Santander.