More than 14,000 fines were issued in Hampshire for holidays taken during school time last year, with parents paying more than £1million for all unauthorised absence breaches.

Figures released by the Department for Education (DfE) showed that fines for holidays made up 94 percent of all absence enforcement across the county in 2024/25.

The number of term-time holiday fines issued by Hampshire councils fell by 2.8 per cent from the previous year, bucking the national trend of a four per cent increase.

Hampshire County Council issued 10,677 penalty notices for such absences, up from 10,559 in 2023/24, but Southampton City Council’s figure dropped from 2,228 to 1,996, while Portsmouth City Council handed out 2,008, down from 2,324.

Fines are set at £80 per parent per child if paid within 21 days, or £160 if paid within between 28 days.

The DfE data showed that across the three councils fine income for all types of unauthorised absence was £1,068,960.

Portsmouth had the highest rate of penalty notices at 9.1 per 100 pupil enrolments, followed by Southampton at 7.2 and Hampshire at 6.4.

At the end of the school year, 2,139 cases remained unresolved – 1,243 for Hampshire County Council and 896 for Southampton City Council.

The region’s authorities appeared to have differing approaches to escalting matters to prosecution.

Both Portsmouth and Hampshire took parents to court for non-payment of penalty notices, with 198 and 162 prosecutions, respectively.

Southampton City Council has not prosecuted a parent for three years.

Cllr Amanda Barnes-Andrews, Southampton City Council cabinet member for children and learning, said: “Research indicates that students with good attendance experience achieve better academic outcomes and improved wellbeing.

“According to the National Framework for Penalty Notices 2024 only when a student has had more than two unauthorised absences within a three-year period will prosecution or a parenting order be considered.

“Southampton City Council issues fines for unauthorised school absences using this National Framework.

“Delays in the single justice process and limited court availability have impacted prosecutions in Southampton.

“We are therefore focusing on cases of persistent unauthorised absences before handling other penalty notices.”

A Hampshire County Council spokesperson said its area covers more than 500 schools with more than 177,000 children.

The spokesperson said: “There is well documented research which shows that gaps in school attendance can adversely impact on a child’s wellbeing, learning and progress.

“For this reason, we work closely with our schools to promote good attendance and support children to get the best from their education.

“DfE statutory guidance is followed in advising headteachers not to authorise absence in term time unless there are exceptional reasons to justify permitting the absence.

“Penalty notices for unauthorised absence can be requested by schools in line with this national guidance.

“If a penalty notice is issued and not paid within the stipulated timescales, local authorities must take steps to prosecute unless it would not be in the public interest to do so.”

The spokesperson said attendance can be an ongoing issue due to complex reasons such as a child’s special educational or medical needs.

They added: “We work hard with schools and families to understand the root cause of serious attendance issues and to identify appropriate support and solutions.

“In these circumstances, legal interventions including fines are only ever considered after all other support possibilities are explored and exhausted.”