UK pocket money hotspots

We surveyed¹ parents across the UK to ask them about how much they give as pocket money, and if their children had to do anything to get it.  The results were surprising.

Despite the economic pressures that have faced many families recently, most British parents have maintained their commitment to pocket money, with children in Glasgow topping the poll with an average of £4.87 pocket money a week.

Sixty eight per cent of parents give pocket money to their children, with the average mum and dad giving £4.08 a week from their child’s fifth birthday. 

But it’s not necessarily a free ride for those on the receiving end.  Our survey showed that 67 per cent of children have to work for their weekly money by doing chores such as making their bed, vacuuming and dusting the house, or tidying their bedroom.

Most children (65 per cent) save some of their pocket money. 

Not all parents offer a wealth of cash every week; children in Southampton get a more modest £2.69 a week.  The majority of parents we asked said they watch what their children are spending their pocket money on.

With small but frequent additions to piggy banks, or regular, modest contributions to their child trust fund, parents play a key role in helping children develop positive attitudes towards managing money and building a nest egg for the future.

UK pocket money hotspots:

on a high

lower levels

¹ Survey conducted for Engage Mutual by OnePoll in March 2010 with 3,000 parents across Great Britain.