Paying non-school attendance fixed penalty notice

Details on how to pay are given on the penalty notice. You cannot make part payments or pay in instalments.

The penalty notice is £120. If you pay within 21 days of the date on the notice, you get a 50% discount, so you only pay £60.

You must pay your penalty notice within 28 days of the date on the notice.

You will not be given more than 1 penalty notice for the same offence within the same time period.

What happens if you do not pay

If you do not pay in full within 28 days of the date on the notice, we must either prosecute or withdraw the notice. If we prosecute, it’s for the offence of failing to make sure your child goes to school, not for non-payment of the penalty notice.

Prosecutions are brought under S444 Education Act 1996. Withdrawing the notice can only take place in very limited circumstances as set out in this code of practice.

What happens to revenue from penalty notices

We keep any revenue from penalty notices to cover enforcement costs. It’s unlikely that revenue will be greater than enforcement costs. If revenue is greater than enforcement costs that sum is held by central government.