We were fined £480 for taking our kids on holiday during term time but we have no regrets – here’s why we’d do it again
A DAD has slammed his children’s school after he received a £480 fine for taking his kids on holiday during term time.
Paul Benson and his wife Jessica were slapped with a £480 fine after taking their children Ruby and George to Florida last September.
The couple have taken their children on holiday during the school term on two occasions and have been fined £240 each time.
But the dad from Redcar in Yorkshire has recently slammed the fine as “unfair” because family holidays are “significantly cheaper” in September after children have gone back to school.
Mr Benson told Yorkshire Live: “It’s not like they are truant students, they might have had a two-week holiday and two or three sick days.
“A family of four like us to go to Florida during the summer holidays – we’d never be able to afford it.
“To go in August you can be looking at twelve grand, but then a week or two later in September it’s £3,700, so you think: ‘Well we’ll take the fine’.
“If you can’t afford to go during the holidays, you are penalised for it, that’s how it makes you feel.”
By holidaying in term time, the family of four saved £8k on their most recent holiday to Florida.
Redcar and Cleveland Council, who issued the fines, said they would review the current criteria for issuing fines after looking at this case.
Meanwhile, another mum in Texas has revealed that she saves thousands by taking her kids out of school during term time to go on holiday.
Faith Skeen, 33, from South Texas, takes her two children Chris, 15, and Zach, 11, out of school to go on holiday and attend music concerts.
She told Sun Online Travel: “We’ve used sick days for many vacations and trips over the years.
“Most recently, I took my 15-year-old to a Twenty One Pilots concert.
“Flying on a Friday was double the price of flying on a Wednesday, so we took three days for that one. I would do that again in a heartbeat.
Last year, Faith spent $7,000 (£5,800) on trips and holidays.
She said: “We’re usually able to cut the price of airfare and lodging in half by shopping dates, so I’d say we’ve saved at least $7,000 (£5,800) this year alone.
“Travelling outside of school breaks and holidays saves us a ton of cash, not just on airfare but on goods and services at our destination as well.
“We couldn’t afford half of the things we do if we waited for summer, spring, or half-term holidays.”
Meanwhile, one mum has shared her tips to stop the family holiday hell – including how to avoid losing the kids.