Term-time holidays; Electric cars; University applications

Available for over a year

In 2013 the government clamped down on parents taking their children out of school for a holiday during term-time by making it illegal. But ever since, the numbers of people doing it have steadily risen. Usually it's because the saving made by avoiding a holiday in peak-time outweighs the fine of £60 (rising to £120 for non-payment). We hear from one listener who was taken to court by his local authority for refusing to pay, after the headteacher refused him permission to take his daughter on holiday. Electric cars are generally more expensive brand new than their petrol or diesel equivalents, so you might be thinking of turning to the used market. But that comes with its own pitfalls - not least old tech and batteries that will no longer hold their charge. So what should you look out for if you're buying a used EV? And an Oxford undergraduate from a working class background talks to us about struggling to make ends meet at one of the finest universities in the country. Producer: Simon Hoban Presenter: Winifred Robinson