How much pocket money should you give, by age?
UK guide · Updated 17 July 2026
There is no official "right" amount of pocket money in the UK. In 2025, regular pocket money averaged £3.85 a week across all ages, rising from about £2.81 a week at age 6 to £8.31 a week at 17 (NatWest Rooster Money). What matters more than the figure is that the amount is regular, predictable, and small enough that your child has to make real choices.
Pick a small, regular weekly amount you can sustain, scaled roughly to age. A common UK pattern is to start around age 6, begin near £2–£4 a week for younger children, and increase it gradually as they get older and take on more of their own spending.
What is the average pocket money in the UK by age?
The most detailed UK figures come from the NatWest Rooster Money Pocket Money Index 2025, drawn from more than 350,000 users of its app and card. It reports two numbers: regular pocket money (a set weekly amount) and overall income (regular pocket money plus payments for extra chores and one-off treats). Both rise steadily with age.
| Measure | Age 6 (youngest) | Age 17 (oldest) | Average, all ages |
|---|---|---|---|
| Regular pocket money | £2.81 / week | £8.31 / week | £3.85 / week |
| Overall income (incl. chores & treats) | £4.99 / week | £23.97 / week | — |
Between those endpoints the amount climbs gradually year by year — there is no jump at a particular age. A useful rule many families borrow is to loosely tie the weekly amount to the child's age, then adjust for what the money is expected to cover.
How much should I give a 5, 7 or 10-year-old?
Use the averages as a reference point, not a target. For a 5–7-year-old, a small amount (around £2–£4 a week) is plenty — the goal at this age is the routine of receiving, choosing and waiting, not the sum. For a 9–11-year-old, families often increase it and start expecting the child to cover small treats themselves. For a 12–13-year-old, more of their own spending (snacks, small outings) tends to move onto their pocket money, so the figure rises to match.
Whatever you choose, keep it regular and predictable. A dependable £2 every week teaches more than an unpredictable £10, because a child can only plan and save when they know what is coming.
Should pocket money be tied to chores?
There is no single right answer, and UK guidance from MoneyHelper (the government-backed money guidance service) sets out both sides. Paying for chores teaches that money is usually earned through work. Giving pocket money freely — and expecting chores anyway, simply as part of being in a family — teaches that some things you do because they need doing, not because you are paid.
A common middle path is a small base amount that is not tied to chores, plus the chance to earn extra for bigger jobs. That way a child sees both lessons: money can be a reward for effort, and helping out is also just part of family life.
Why start early? The age-7 window
Starting pocket money young is worth it because money habits form early. Research by the University of Cambridge for the UK Money Advice Service (2013) found that the foundations of how we handle money — planning ahead, self-control and the ability to delay a decision — are largely set by around age 7, and are hard to change later. Yet only 47% of UK children have had a meaningful money education (Money and Pensions Service, 2023). A small, regular pocket-money routine is one of the simplest ways to start those habits at home while they are still forming.
GrowthJar is a UK iPhone app that keeps score of your child's pocket money — coins earned for jobs, plus gift and birthday money — and lets them "plant" coins that grow by an amount you set, so saving and patience become something they can see. It is not a bank and holds no real money: you keep the cash, the app keeps the score. Free with one child.
Common questions
How much pocket money should I give a 7-year-old?
There is no official amount. UK averages are near the lower end at this age — around £3–£4 a week is a common starting point (regular pocket money averaged £3.85 a week across all ages in 2025). Many families start around age 6–7 and let the child make their own small spending choices.
What is the average pocket money in the UK?
In 2025, regular pocket money averaged £3.85 a week (NatWest Rooster Money, 350,000+ users), rising from about £2.81 a week at age 6 to £8.31 at 17. With chores and treats added, overall weekly income runs from roughly £4.99 at age 6 to £23.97 at 17.
What age should children start getting pocket money?
Many UK parents start a small weekly amount around age 6. Because core money habits are largely set by about age 7 (University of Cambridge for the Money Advice Service), starting early gives those habits time to form.
Sources
- NatWest Rooster Money, Pocket Money Index 2025 (350,000+ users) — roostermoney.com; NatWest Group press release, June 2025.
- Whitebread & Bingham, University of Cambridge, Habit Formation and Learning in Young Children, Money Advice Service, 2013 — moneyandpensionsservice.org.uk.
- Money and Pensions Service, children's money-education statistics, 2023.
- MoneyHelper, Pocket money and saving — moneyhelper.org.uk.
Make pocket money stick
GrowthJar turns pocket money into coins your child can spend, save, or plant and watch grow — no ads, no tracking, free with one child. iPhone.
