Withdrawing and appealing a penalty notice for non-school attendance

Withdrawing a penalty notice

Once issued, we can only withdraw a penalty notice when one of the following applies:

• there is proof showing the penalty notice was issued to the wrong person
• the penalty notice should not have been issued – for example, where it was issued outside the terms of this code of practice, or no offence was committed

Appealing a penalty charge notice

There is no statutory right of appeal against the issuing of a penalty notice.

You’re encouraged to contact your child’s school in the first place if you feel the penalty notice should not have been issued. Following this, you can contact the principal education welfare officer or the education welfare service, giving your reasons why the penalty notice should not have been issued.