Families struggling with the rising cost of living and soaring holiday prices are increasingly taking their children out of school during term time to save money on trips abroad. More than two million parents admitted taking their children out of school to go away and bag a cheaper break, the Parentkind National Parent Survey 2026 found.That is the equivalent to one in five UK parents – suggesting many are having to decide whether to abide by attendance policies or take their kids out of school for a budget holiday.The research involved 6,053 parents across the country who have at least one child in school aged four to 18 years old.Half of parents surveyed were in favour of a shorter summer break, according to The Times.Meanwhile, 28 per cent of those who took their children out revealed they did not tell the school the real reason for the absence. Many parents are taking their children out of school so they can afford to go on holiday ‘A holiday is generally not considered an exceptional circumstance. You cannot usually take your child away during term time,’ according to the government website.It warns parents can be fined or face legal action if they take their child away during term time. Local councils can charge parents £80 if their child is missing from school without a good reason, and this doubles if not paid within 21 days. Nearly half a million fines were handed out to parents last year – a total of 459,288 – according to figures from the Department for Education. This was a 4 per cent rise in 2024-25 compared to 2023-24, amounting to £36 million in fines. Parents on a wide range of incomes are taking their children out to cut the cost, including high earners – some 23 per cent of parents from households that have a total income of more than £100,000 admitted to doing so. Among parents of children with disabilities and special educational needs, 25 per cent admitted to taking their youngsters out during the term too. Meanwhile, 28 per cent of parents shared they hadn’t been able to afford to take their family on holiday in the past year – totalling three million. They risk being fined £80 by the local council, a charge that can double to £160 if not paid within 21 daysIn households with an overall annual income of £20,000, half of the parents said they weren’t able to cover the costs of a trip away. In households earning between £20,000 and £35,000, this applied to 43 per cent. For many families, the school holidays are also a significant financial strain. Some 51 per cent of parents admit they find the school holidays hard financially and 42 per cent said it was a stressful time. Childcare during the holidays is another issue and 22 per cent of working parents have to take unpaid leave to take care of their kids. Holiday clubs and activities are a costly way to tackle childcare issues, costing around £29 per day on average. Lucy, from East Sussex, took her three children out of school with her husband to Lanzarote in January. The farming family are limited to when they can go away – with lambing season beginning in February and again over Easter, and harvest taking place over the summer holidays. She managed to save £1,500 by booking the trip during term time, though she explained it wasn’t planned to cut costs.’A week’s holiday for us as a family is more important than our children being in primary school,’ she told the BBC News. The school holidays feel like a financial burden for many families across the UKFrank Young, Parentkind’s chief executive, said: ‘Parents are being pushed into a terrible position when it comes to a family holiday. ‘It is no surprise that some parents are taking children out of school during term time and trying to hide the true reason.’The DfE told The Times that children missing lessons to go away adds a ‘burden on teachers to support missed learning and affect the entire class’.It added that ‘fines continue to have a vital place in our system’ and it is supporting children who face ‘barriers’ to coming into school.