“How much should I give?” is the pocket money question parents ask most. There is no official answer, but there is good data on what UK families actually pay — and a simple way to work out whether your amount is doing its job.
Average weekly pocket money by age in the UK (2026)
The figures below come from the NatWest Rooster Money Pocket Money Index 2026, which looked at more than half a million children using the Rooster Card between March 2025 and February 2026.
Regular pocket money is the set weekly amount. Total weekly income adds everything else children receive — chore payments, rewards and one-off top-ups.
| Age | Regular pocket money (per week) | Total weekly income |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
Source: NatWest Rooster Money Pocket Money Index 2026. Highlighted rows are primary-school ages 7–11 (Key Stage 2). These are families who use a pocket money app, so treat them as a benchmark rather than a rule.
Across all ages, regular pocket money averaged £3.94 a week, and total weekly income averaged £9.74, up 6.7% on the year before. The gap between the two columns grows sharply in the teenage years, mostly because older children earn more from chores and extra jobs.
How much pocket money at each age
Ages 6 to 8: about £2.50 to £3 a week
At this age the amount matters less than the routine. Physical coins and a clear jar make money visible, and short saving goals — something reachable in two or three weeks — keep it meaningful. Our Waiting Jar activity is a good place to start.
Ages 9 to 11: about £3 to £3.50 a week
This is when children can start genuinely planning. Many families add small paid jobs on top of a base amount here, which is why total income rises faster than regular pocket money. It is also a good age to ask them to keep a simple record of what comes in and goes out — try the Pocket Money Ledger.
Ages 12 to 14: about £4 to £5 a week
Secondary school brings more independence — bus fares, snacks with friends, apps and games. Some families raise pocket money here and hand over responsibility for a few of those costs, so the money has a real job to do.
Ages 15 to 17: about £5.50 to £8 a week
Regular pocket money rises steadily, but total income more than doubles between 14 and 17 as teenagers take on bigger jobs and part-time work. Many families move to a monthly allowance at this stage that covers clothes or travel, which is closer to managing a real budget.
A useful test for any age: could your child afford something they actually want after saving for three or four weeks? If yes, the amount is doing its job. If it would take six months, it is probably too low to teach much.
What else affects the right amount
- What it has to cover. Pocket money for treats only can be lower than an allowance that also covers school snacks, travel or clothes.
- Where you live. Prices vary across the UK, and so do the things children spend on.
- Siblings. Many families scale by age so older children get more, and explain why — it heads off most arguments about fairness.
- Your budget. Consistency matters more than size. A smaller amount that always arrives teaches more than a larger one that sometimes doesn’t.
Should pocket money be linked to chores?
Linking it
Money comes from work, and children who earn tend to value it more. The Index found mowing the lawn is the best-paid chore at £3.52 a job on average — a natural way into a conversation about effort and pay.
Keeping it separate
Some jobs are simply part of family life. Pay for everything and children may stop helping unless there is a fee, which is a hard habit to undo.
Most families settle on both: a base amount that arrives regardless, plus paid extras for jobs beyond the everyday. We look at the pros and cons in more detail in Pocket money: how much, how often, and should it be tied to chores?
Weekly or monthly?
Weekly works best for younger children, who can’t yet plan across a month. Saturday is the most common payday, used by 46% of families in the Index. Switching to monthly around the end of primary school is a real step up — it is the first time a child has to make money last.
What about birthday money and other top-ups?
One-off money adds up. The Index puts average birthday money at £46.41, and even the Tooth Fairy now pays £4.79 a tooth. Larger sums like these are a great chance to practise splitting money between spending, saving and giving — see our guide to managing birthday money wisely.
Making pocket money teach something
- Say the deal out loud: how much, which day, and what it is for.
- Agree a saving goal and make progress visible.
- Let them make small mistakes. Spending three weeks’ savings on something that breaks is a lesson no explanation can match.
- Review it on birthdays, raising the amount along with the responsibility.
If you would like your child to go further, the Smartmonies course covers saving, budgeting, earning and more in ten accredited lessons for ages 7–11 — and the first digital lesson is free. For quick ideas to try at home, browse our free money activities.