Important information for parents and carers, changes as of 19 August 2024 to the issue of Penalty Notices for Non-School attendance.
New legislation comes into force on 19 August 2024 regarding the issuing of penalty notices relating to none school attendance. The following changes will come into force for penalty notice fines issued after 19 August 2024.
There will be a single National Threshold for when a penalty notice must be considered by all schools in England and Wales of ten sessions of unauthorised absence within a rolling ten school week period.
These sessions do not have to be consecutive and can be made up of any type of unauthorised absence.
From 19 August 2024, the fine for school absences across the country will be £160 discounted to £80 if paid within 21 days, or £160 if paid within 28 days.
If a parent receives a second fine for the same child within any three-year period, this will be charged at the higher rate of £160 with no discount given for early repayment.
Any term time holidays that are taken after the start of the 2024/25 academic year will be treated under the new Legislation as the new rules apply to any offences committed from 19 August 2024, regardless of when the holiday is booked.
Should a third absence be taken within the three-year period, a parent may be summonsed to the Magistrates Court for knowingly failing to secure good attendance at school (Section 444 (1A) of Education Act 1996).
Get more information about fines for parents for taking children out of school.
Salford local authority and schools are committed to providing the best possible future for your child. If you have concerns about your child's attendance at school or if you are experiencing any difficulties, please contact your school and ask for support.
Where two 'parents' have been issued with a Penalty Notice for a child, then each parent will need to pay their fine.
Where Penalty Notices have been issued for more than one child then each parent will need to pay a fine for each child.
Section 576 of the Education Act 1996 defines 'parent' to include:
Payment can be made by the following methods:
Pay your Penalty Notice online
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Payments can be made by Switch, Solo, Mastercard, Visa and Delta, by ringing 0300 456 0645 (choose option 3 for sundry debtors). This facility is available 24 hours a day. Please have your invoice number and card details available when making the call.
You can use this Penalty Notice to pay at a Post Office. The bar coded Penalty Notice can be used at any Post Office in the UK. This is a free service that provides over forty (40) places of payment in Salford. The barcode is printed on the front of this Penalty Notice to make it easy to use at the Post Office.
You can also use this Penalty Notice to pay at locations displaying the PayPoint logo. Please note that payment at a PayPoint location is by cash only.
In order to make payments by this method, please quote the following Salford City Council bank account details.
Cheques should be made payable to "Salford City Council" and sent by post to the Director of Service Reform, Salford Civic Centre, Chorley Road, Swinton, Salford, M27 SAW. Please note, post dated cheques are not accepted on this account.
Write your Penalty Notice number detailed overleaf on the back of the cheque. We do not normally send receipts for postal payments, but if you require one you must enclose a stamped addressed envelope.
If you believe that you have a valid reason for non- payment, or you require further details regarding this Penalty Notice, please contact the school to where the non-attendance relates.
This page was last updated on 16 July 2024