More than 1 in 3 (34%) UK parents plan to take their children out of school for holidays in 2026

• Parents who have taken their children out of school for a holiday saved £605, on average, per holiday
• Over a third (37%) of parents believe it’s cheaper to pay a fine than for school holiday prices
• That’s as 32% of parents have received a fine or warning for taking their children out of school for cheaper holidays
• Confused.com’s school fines calculator helps parents understand how much they could end up paying for taking their children out of school based on their local council

More than 1 in 3 (34%) UK parents plan to take their children out of school for holidays during term time in 2026. While two fifths (40%) of parents are unfazed by warnings, fines, and even legal action for unauthorised absences.

As a result, parents across England and Wales have collectively paid more than £41m in fines for unauthorised absences, new data from travel experts at Confused.com reveals.

Fines could cost parents up to £160 per child each time they take their children out of school. Schools in England and Wales are currently enforcing this. Through submission of Freedom of Information requests to local education authorities in these countries, Confused.com found that more than 873,000 Fixed Penalty Notices were issued between 2022 and 2024.

However, parents who have taken their children out of school during term time have saved an average of £605 on costs per holiday. As over a third (37%) of parents think it’s cheaper to pay a fine than school holiday getaway prices, it’s unsurprising there has been an increase in unauthorised absences across England and Wales.

As a result, almost a third (32%) of parents have received a fine or warning for taking their children out of school to save on holiday costs and enjoy making new memories with their family.

With the average household having 2 children, fines could cost up to £320 per parent. That’s why Confused.com produced a school fines calculator, so parents can work out how much taking their children out of school would cost in fines.

It’s clear that some schools take these offences seriously, with hundreds of thousands of fines being issued. In fact, in some areas of England, more than 35,000 fines have been issued since 2022. That’s compared to 2,762 fines being issued in Wales.

The top 10 councils across the UK who have issued the most fines since 2022 include:

Despite the risks of fines, warnings, and legal action, parents are still prepared to take the risk. 13% of parents have already booked a holiday they plan on taking their children out of school for this year. Whereas, nearly a quarter (22%) are planning a holiday involving taking their children out of school this year.

On average, parents plan to take their children out of school for 2 occasions per year for an average of 4 days. This would double the amount of fines they could face in a single year. Another fifth (20%) of parents would be prepared to take their children out of school for 5 - 6 days, missing nearly a week of lessons as a result.

The research identified the main reasons parents take their children out of school during term time. Nearly half (42%) of parents each do so for three key reasons: to save money, to travel at a specific time of year and to attend family events.

These are followed by just over a quarter (26%) each doing so to travel at a quieter time and to align with work commitments. Showing that timing and convenience are huge factors for parents when planning a family holiday.

While the consequences can be severe for doing this, over 3 in 10 (31%) parents would take the risk to spend quality time and make memories with their children. And with the increasing cost of living crisis in the UK, some parents believe it’s cheaper to spend a week abroad than at home in the UK.

In 2025, Spain was the most popular country Brits travelled to on holiday. 16%² said they would be most likely to visit Spain out of all the countries in Europe. The cost of living in Spain is about 19%³ cheaper than in the UK. With a three-course meal in Spain averaging €15-€25 compared to £30 - £40 in the UK, parents could save up to £126 per week, per child, on food alone while on holiday.

Fines are becoming an increasingly popular deterrent attempt to encourage parents to avoid taking their children out of school during term time. For 19% of parents, they know someone who has been fined multiple times for doing so.

Repeat offenders for taking children out of school could not only face warnings and fines, but legal action could also be taken. That’s why taking children away from school is something to avoid if possible. There are ways to keep holiday costs down even when travelling during peak times.

Tom Vaughan, Confused.com travel insurance expert commented:

Opting for a full or half board holiday - Having even one meal included in your holiday package could lead to big savings across the whole trip, especially for a big family, which could help to make up for the cost of flights during school holidays.

Booking as far ahead as possible - It’s always nice to have a holiday in the calendar to look forward to, and not only does booking in advance do this, but it can also save you money by allowing you to spread costs over a few months as you count down to your family holiday.

Looking out for deals - Key dates like Travel Tuesday and Black Friday are good opportunities to book your holiday for less to save when travelling at more popular times. Airlines like easyJet, Ryanair, and British Airways are among many that have multiple sales throughout the year, so you can book a holiday at a time that works for you financially.

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Notes to editors