Leave HackerGuidesPlan my yearCan I take my child on holiday during term time?
Usually not, in England
In England you can only take your child out of school with the school's advance permission, and a holiday usually doesn't count as an exceptional circumstance. Your council can fine each parent £80 per child, rising to £160 if it isn't paid within 21 days. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have their own rules.
Fines in England
- £80 per parent, per child, rising to £160 if you don't pay within 21 days.
- A second fine for the same child within 3 years is £160.
- From the 2024 to 2025 school year, each parent gets up to 2 fines for the same child in 3 years; after that it can go to court instead, where the fine can be up to £2,500.
- Your council sets when it fines and how to pay, so check its rules.
Making the school holidays work
Holidays cost more in the school holidays, but the days that bridge bank holidays still stretch your leave furthest. At Easter, Good Friday and Easter Monday fall in the school break; in May, England's half term usually starts with the spring bank holiday. How working parents cover the school holidays.
Elsewhere in the UK, check with your school and council: the guidance is different in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Sources
- gov.uk: School attendance and absence (England)
- gov.uk: School term and holiday dates (find your council)
Checked on 26 October 2026. This is general information about the legal minimum in the UK, not legal advice: your contract can give you more, and can set its own rules for notice and carrying over. For help with your own situation, call the Acas helpline on 0300 123 1100 (England, Scotland and Wales) or the Labour Relations Agency on 03300 555 300 (Northern Ireland).
More questions
What counts as exceptional circumstances?
It's for the school to decide, case by case; ask the head teacher before you book. A family holiday generally isn't one.