Why Hartlepool MP Jonathan Brash believes term-time holiday fines should be banned

Families feel they’re being squeezed from all sides and then punished on top.

Here’s the reality. Book a short family break in term time and it might be affordable.

Book the exact same trip during school holidays and the price can skyrocket.

We’re not talking about small increases either, often hundreds of pounds more just because it’s half term.

For many local families, that makes a holiday simplyout of reach.

People tell me the same thing again and again.

It can actually be cheaper to pay the fine than to travel in the holidays. That can’t be right.

Parents are being forced into an impossible choice. Follow the rules and miss out on time together or take a holiday and face a financial penalty.

At a time when the cost of living is already biting, that just doesn’t feel fair.

So let me be clear. I believe these fines should be banned.

Punishing parents financially is not the answer and it is time we moved away from a system that treats families like offenders.

Of course, school attendance matters.

Every parent knows education comes first and strong attendance gives children the best chance to succeed.

But thecurrent system of fines is not solving the problem it is meant to fix.

Research shows fining parents does not improve attendance.

In fact, it can make things worse, especially for families already under pressure.

For some children, absence is linked to anxiety, special educational needs or difficult circumstances at home.

Children from the same family at different schools can aslo have different term dates.

Here in Hartlepool, we are starting to take a different approach.

Instead of jumping straight to fines, there is a focus on support, sitting down with families, understanding the reasons behind absence and offering real help.

Early signs show this works better. When families feel supported, attendance improves.

That is just common sense. If you fix the cause of the problem, you are far more likely to fix the problem itself.

This debate is about fairness and treating people with understanding.

Families should not be priced out of spending time together and they should not be punished when they are doing their best.