Pocket money by age: a UK parents' guide
How much pocket money do UK children get at each age? The latest averages from the NatWest Rooster Money Pocket Money Index 2026, plus the main ways families give it (fixed, chores-linked, or split between saving and spending) and what each can teach.
"How much pocket money should I give?" is a question almost every parent asks at some point. There's no correct answer, but it helps to know what other families do, and to think about what you want pocket money to teach.
The short version: in the latest big UK survey, regular pocket money ranged from about £2.70 a week at age 6 to about £8 a week at 17. Once chores and other extras are added, the average for 6- to 17-year-olds was £9.74 a week. What matters more than the amount is being consistent and letting your child make real choices with it.
Average pocket money by age (UK, 2026)
These figures come from the NatWest Rooster Money Pocket Money Index 2026, published in June 2026. It's based on how more than half a million children using the Rooster Card were paid between March 2025 and February 2026.
| Age | Regular pocket money (a week) | Including chores and extras (a week) |
|---|---|---|
| 6 | £2.69 | £4.58 |
| 7 | £2.79 | £4.77 |
| 8 | £2.88 | £5.10 |
| 9 | £3.07 | £5.52 |
| 10 | £3.27 | £6.08 |
| 11 | £3.56 | £7.30 |
| 12 | £4.01 | £9.15 |
| 13 | £4.50 | £11.50 |
| 14 | £5.10 | £13.97 |
| 15 | £5.66 | £16.34 |
| 16 | £6.68 | £21.26 |
| 17 | £7.95 | £22.56 |
"Regular" means the set weekly amount. The second column adds money earned from chores and other extras.
What stands out:
- Regular pocket money rises gently with age, roughly doubling between 10 and 16
- Chores and extras make a big difference for teenagers. At 16 and 17, the total is around three times the regular amount
- The overall average was £9.74 a week, up 6.7% on the year before (NatWest Group)
A caveat: these are families who use a pocket money app and card, which may not be typical of every household. The survey doesn't include children under 6. Treat the figures as a rough guide, not a target.
How much should you give?
Averages are a starting point. A few questions tend to settle it:
- What should it cover? £3 a week for treats is very different from £10 a week that also has to pay for bus fares, lunches out or phone credit
- What can you comfortably afford, every week? Consistency matters more than the amount
- What do their friends get? Worth knowing, but it doesn't have to decide it
- How will it change? Many families raise it on each birthday, which gives a natural moment to talk about what it's for
As children get older, some families give a bigger amount less often, such as monthly. It's a small step towards managing a salary: the money has to last.
Three ways families give pocket money
1. A fixed amount
The same amount on the same day each week, whatever happens.
What it teaches: planning and patience. If it's spent on Monday, there's nothing until next week.
Worth knowing: many parents keep it separate from behaviour. Taking pocket money away as a punishment can blur what the money is for.
2. Linked to chores
Some or all of the money is earned by doing jobs around the house. The Pocket Money Index found that around 30% of children earn through chores, with mowing the lawn (£3.52 on average) and washing the car (£3.36) among the best-paid.
What it teaches: that money comes from effort, which is a useful lesson before a first job.
Worth knowing: many families split chores into two kinds: everyday jobs everyone does for free because they're part of the family (making the bed, clearing the table), and extra jobs that earn money.
3. Save, spend and share
A mix of the two above, or either one, split into pots. For example:
- Spend: to use as they like
- Save: for something bigger they're working towards
- Share or give: for gifts or a cause they care about
What it teaches: that money can do different jobs, and that waiting for something is part of the deal. Clear jars work well for younger children, because they can see the pots grow. Older children can use separate pots in a banking app.
A nice extra: some families add a little to the save pot, such as 10p for every £1 left in it at the end of the month. It's a gentle first taste of money growing when it's left alone.
Let them make mistakes (small ones)
The most useful thing pocket money does is give children real choices. That includes bad ones.
A 9-year-old who spends a month's savings on something that breaks in a week has learned something no lecture can teach, at a cost of a few pounds. Let it sting a little, talk about it kindly, and don't rescue them with a top-up. The same lesson at 25, with a credit card, costs a great deal more.
From pocket money to investing
Pocket money teaches the everyday skills: budgeting, saving up, waiting. Investing teaches the long-term ones: how money can grow over years, why spreading it out matters, and why patience pays.
The two connect naturally. A child saving for a £40 game understands waiting. Show them what £40 could grow to over 20 years, and they start to understand time. Our guide to teaching kids about compound interest has simple ways to explain it, and the Junior ISA calculator is a good thing to explore together.
Squids-In is built for that next step. Children aged 10 and up work through 130 short lessons at their own pace, and parents can choose rewards for keeping a learning streak going, so a little effort on learning can earn something too. It's free during our family beta.
Common questions
Q: At what age should pocket money start?
A: Some families start around 5 or 6, when children can count coins and understand that things cost money. The Pocket Money Index figures start at 6.
Q: Should pocket money be cash or on a card?
A: Both work. Cash is easier for young children to see and count. Cards and apps suit older children, especially as more shops go cashless, and let parents see what's spent.
Q: Should I pay for good grades?
A: Families disagree. Some worry it makes learning about money rather than curiosity; others find a small reward motivating. Whatever you choose, keep it predictable.
Key points
- Regular pocket money averaged £2.69 a week at 6 and £7.95 at 17 (NatWest Rooster Money Pocket Money Index 2026)
- With chores and extras, the average for 6- to 17-year-olds was £9.74 a week
- There's no right amount: decide what it covers, and be consistent
- Fixed, chores-linked, and save-spend-share approaches all work; many families mix them
- Small mistakes are part of the point
Next steps
- Decide what pocket money should cover in your family
- Pick an amount and a day, and stick to them
- Try pots for saving and spending
- Talk about longer-term saving, with our guide on how to talk to your kids about money
Related guides:
- How to talk to your kids about money
- Age-appropriate investing lessons
- Teaching kids about compound interest
- What is a Junior ISA?
This article is for education only and isn't financial advice.
Written by Squids-In Team
The Squids-In team writes plain-English guides to help families understand Junior ISAs, Junior SIPPs and long-term investing, and to help children learn about money with confidence.
Help them understand what they're building
Squids-In teaches children how money grows, with short lessons and a friendly investing game. You stay in charge of the real thing. It's free while we test it with a small group of families.
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