Parents failing to pay truancy fines will have benefits docked.

David Cameron has announced that parents of children who pay truant will have their child benefit docked if they fail to pay fines.

Currently, if parents fail to pay the £60 penalty in England it is doubled to £120 after 21 days and they face prosecution if it has still not been paid after 28.

According to ITV News, 40% of parents are STILL failing to pay the fine and yet aren’t ending up in court as councils aren’t taking legal action. 

The Prime Minister has said he is ‘determined to tackle the harm truancy does to a child’s chances in life.’

Under the new scheme, parents who refuse to pay the fine will automatically have their welfare payments docked.

Cameron told Good Morning Britain this would only happen in cases where children were “persistently truant”.

The Government hope the new measures help ease the financial pressure on councils to pursue expensive legal action against parents.However, local authorities will be put under a new duty to pursue penalties through the courts in cases where parents do not receive the benefit because they earn more than £50,000.

Mr Cameron also said parents will be given a right to request that schools provide breakfast and after-school clubs or holiday care.

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Story from ITV News.