How much pocket money by age: a UK guide

In the UK, pocket money usually rises with age: roughly £1–£3 a week for ages 4–7, £3–£6 for 8–11, and £6–£12+ for teenagers. One common anchor is about £1 per year of age — around £6 a week for a six-year-old — but there is no official figure, so treat every number here as a starting point. Your budget and what you want the money to teach matter far more than matching the family down the road.

Typical UK pocket money by age

These weekly bands reflect what UK families commonly report. Use them as a reference, then adjust to your home.

• Ages 4–6 (nursery/reception): 50p–£2 — enough to choose a treat at the shop.
• Ages 7–9 (primary): £2–£4 — old enough to save for a small toy over two or three weeks.
• Ages 10–11 (upper primary): £4–£6 — covers little extras like a magazine or an app top-up.
• Ages 12–14 (early secondary): £6–£10 — often stretches to bus fares, snacks and hobbies.
• Ages 15–16 (GCSE years): £10–£15+ — some families switch to a monthly allowance for clothes or a phone.
• 17+: many teens have a part-time job, so pocket money tapers or becomes a top-up.

How to decide your own amount

The right figure fits your household, not the average. Weigh up:

• Your budget first. Pick a number you can pay every week without resentment; consistency beats generosity.
• What it covers. “Fun money only” is very different from an amount that includes lunches, travel or clothes. Agree the boundaries out loud.
• Local norms. A word with other parents at the school gate keeps you roughly in line when your child compares notes with friends.
• Earned vs given. A small base sum plus extra for bigger jobs blends a reliable amount with a link to effort.
• Fairness between siblings. Age-based bands land well with most kids when the reason is explained — a 12-year-old getting more than their 7-year-old sibling.

Weekly or monthly?

Younger children do better with weekly money — a week is about as far ahead as a six-year-old can plan, and Saturday morning makes a memorable payday. From secondary school, a monthly amount teaches budgeting: they feel the pinch if it is gone by the 20th. A middle path suits ages 11–13 — pay weekly, but nudge them to hold some back across the month.

Whatever you choose, fix a payday and stick to it: “every Saturday” or “the 1st.” Predictability makes the lesson work and heads off the midweek “can I have it early?” negotiation.

Turning pocket money into money lessons

Pocket money works hardest when some of it has a job to do:

• Split it into pots — Spend, Save, Give and (for older kids) Invest. Even £4 as “£2 spend, £1 save, £1 give” teaches choices early.
• Let them feel small mistakes. Blowing a week’s money on sweets and having nothing left is a cheap lesson at eight.
• Match their saving. Add 20% to anything they keep for a month — a gentle intro to interest and delayed gratification.
• Make giving visible. A pot for a charity or a friend’s birthday builds generosity without a lecture.
• Talk numbers casually. “You’ve got £3 left and it’s Wednesday — will that last?” beats any formal money chat.

If you would rather not track the sums on paper, Equal House offers Kid Mode with digital money jars (Spend/Save/Give/Invest) and a per-chore pay setting, so children watch their pots grow and link effort to reward.

When to review it

Set a natural checkpoint so you are not renegotiating every fortnight:

• On birthdays — a yearly rise feels fair and gives them something to look forward to.
• At the start of a new school year, especially the jump to secondary when travel and social costs climb.
• When responsibilities change — a new regular chore, or taking over their own phone top-ups.

“We’ll look at it again on your birthday” heads off pester power and ties the amount to growing up.

The bottom line

There is no correct number, but £1–£3 a week under 8, £3–£6 through primary, and £6–£12+ for teens is a sensible starting range. Pick an amount you can pay consistently, agree what it covers, choose a fixed payday, and let some of it flow into saving and giving. The habit you build matters far more than the exact figure.