Families offered cheap travel insurance to cut cost of holidays

Ministers claim many families are being forced to take their holidays during term time because they can't afford packages during peak periods, but cut-price travel insurance is available year-round.

Insurewithease offers children under 18 free cover when they travel with an insured parent and its premiums don't increase during the school holidays.

Kettering Tory MP Philip Hollobone has called on the government to force tour operators to even out their prices throughout the year, claiming that price increases during school holidays force some parents to take their children out of school during term time.

Absence rates hit a 3-year high last autumn, a fact which has been blamed on parents taking their children out of school in September and October to take advantage of lower holiday prices.

Official figures show almost 400,000 children missed school every day last autumn, but the government says it's getting tougher on absenteeism.

Schools Minister Vernon Coaker said Head Teachers were clamping down on term-time holidays. He added: ""We understand the temptation to try and buy cheaper holidays, particularly in these tough economic times, and we allow heads some flexibility in the matter. However, in all cases, parents must seek permission from schools in advance and we back heads in taking a firm line on unauthorised absence.

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