The number of fines issued to families in Herefordshire for taking their children out of school without permission continues to rise.
And there has been a particular jump in the higher fines for second offences, new figures released by Herefordshire Council show.
Asked in a Freedom of Information request how many parents had been penalised in this way over the past two academic years, the council said it issued 638 first penalty notices in the 2025-26 year, compared to 582 for 2024-25.
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Meanwhile, in the current year to the October mid-term break, it has issued a further 166 notices, which projected to the end of the school year would amount to around 830 notices.
Nearly all related to unauthorised holiday leave, while just 24 over the period related to pupils' irregular school attendance.
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Under the law, if a child is absent for ten days within a ten-week period, a first penalty notice is charged at £80 if paid within 21 days, or £160 if paid within 28 days.
A second penalty notice, if issued regarding the same child within a rolling three-year period, is charged at £160, also within 28 days.
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Here the council's figures show a more marked jump, from just two second penalty notices in 2024/25, to 27 in the last school year, while the figure of seven for the current year so far would amount to 35 notices over the year as a whole.
Third offences can lead to court action against parents, leading to a fine of up to £2,500, a community order or even a jail sentence of up to three months, as well as a possible Parenting Order.
But so far the council has not had to issue any such notices over the past two years, it said.
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