The top 10 areas that parents are fined for taking children on term-time holidays

Based on the figures, Lancashire families are the worst offenders with 3,000 penalties.

17:34 12 August 2014

A BBC report confirms that the number of parents being fined for taking their children on a holiday during term-time is on the rise. In the academic year to July 2014, 63,837 penalties were issued to mums and dads. The number was just 37,650 the same period last year.

The report also found that parents in Lancashire are the worst offenders with 3,106 penalties in the year to July. This represents a 176% increase compared to the data gathered last year. Kent followed with 2,973 penalties and Leicester with 2,728 fines.

Parents Steward and Natasha Sutherland from Shropshire are refusing to pay the fine, which is £60 per parent per child per period of absence from school, saying that it’s too much.

Mr Sutherland said: ‘Once the regulations came into force, it became just a block ban, rather than schools and local councils considering each case individually.

‘It's now becoming the case that family holidays are just for the rich because so many working people either can't afford it or can't get the time off outside school terms.

‘Family holidays are just as important to children as school. A happy child will get their work done better.’

The top 10 areas that parents are fined for taking children on term-time holidays:

1. Lancashire, 3,106 (1,125 in 2012-13); up 176 per cent.
2. Kent,2,973 (2,868 in 2012-13;) up three per cent.
3 Leicester,2,728 (2,726 in 2012-13); no change.
4. West Sussex,2,403 (973 in 2012-13); up 146 per cent.
5. Luton,2,249 (1,395 in 2012-13); up 61 per cent.
6. Oldham, 2,022 (1,190 in 2012-13); up 69 per cent.
7. Manchester, 1,911 (1,234 in 2012-13); up 54 per cent.
8. East Sussex, 1,756 (1,237 in 2012-13); up 41 per cent.
9.East Riding of Yorkshire, 1,594 (1,066 in 2012-13); up 49 per cent.
10. Doncaster, 1,464 (630 in 2012-13); up 132 per cent.