Use this page to pay a penalty notice for non-attendance at school.
A penalty notice is an out of court settlement which is intended to change behaviour without the need for criminal prosecution.
Penalty notices will be issued separately to each parent, and for each child.
Absences in academic year 2023/24
The fine for each penalty notice is £120, with 28 days to pay. If you pay within 21 days, the fine is reduced to £60 for each penalty notice.
For example, a family with two parents (1&2) and two children (A&B) taking unauthorised absence would receive the following penalties:
Parent 2 = 1 penalty for child A plus 1 penalty for child B = 2 penalties
Total payable by the family = 4 penalties (or £480).
If the family in this example had paid their fine within 21 days of being issued the penalty notice, they would have had to pay £240.
Absences in academic year 2024/25
Only 2 penalty notices can be issued to the same parent in respect of the same child within a 3 year rolling period and any second notice within that period is charged at a higher rate.
The first penalty notice issued to a parent in respect of a particular pupil will be charged at £160 if paid within 28 days. This will be reduced to £80 if paid within 21 days.
For example, a family with two parents (1&2) and two children (A&B) taking unauthorised absence would receive the following penalties:
Parent 2 = 1 penalty for child A plus 1 penalty for child B = 2 penalties
Total payable by the family = 4 penalties (or £640).
If the family in this example had paid their fine within 21 days of being issued the penalty notice, they would have had to pay £320.
A second penalty notice issued to the same parent in respect of the same pupil is charged at a flat rate of £160 and should be paid within 28 days. There is no option for a reduction in the rate for early payment.
A third penalty notice cannot be issued to the same parent in respect of the same child within 3 years of the date of issue of the first. In a case where the national threshold is met for a third time (or subsequent times) within those 3 years, alternative action should be taken instead. This will often include considering prosecution, but may include other tools such as one of the other attendance legal interventions.
Before you pay online
Please ensure you have the penalty notice letter when you pay. We will ask you for your penalty notice reference number (starts with ED) and the date of issue (found just above the signature) for each penalty notice you need to pay.
All you need to make a payment to us online are the following details:
- Your reference number (this starts with ED)
- Your name
- Email address
- Telephone number
- Your home address
Payment can be made using most credit and debit cards. Unfortunately we are not able to accept American Express. Late payment, part-payment, or payment plans are not accepted.