How Much Pocket Money Should You Give by Age? A UK Guide

Published 2026-04-24

There's no official rule for pocket money, but there are sensible norms — and getting it roughly right helps children learn about money without overdoing it. Here's a UK guide by age, plus the bigger question of what to give it for.

Average UK Pocket Money by Age

Surveys vary, but rough UK averages look like this: ages 4–6, around £1–£2 a week; ages 7–10, around £2–£5 a week; ages 11–14, around £5–£10 a week; 15+, £10 or more, often shifting to a monthly allowance. These are starting points, not rules — what suits your family and budget matters more.

Should Pocket Money Be Linked to Anything?

This is the real question. There are three common approaches:

Unconditional

Given regardless, teaching budgeting and saving. Simple, but misses a chance to link money to effort.

Linked to chores

Earned through household jobs, teaching that money comes from work. Popular and effective for many families.

Linked to learning

Earned through effort at schoolwork — spelling, maths, reading. This turns pocket money into a powerful motivator for the exact skills that matter most. It's the whole idea behind The Pocket Money Game, and our article on teaching the value of money through learning explains why it works.

How Much for Learning-Based Rewards?

If you link pocket money to learning, small amounts per correct answer — even 5p to 10p — add up meaningfully to a child while staying affordable. The immediacy of earning as they go is what makes it motivating, more than the total sum.

The Real Goal

Whatever you choose, pocket money is a brilliant teaching tool — for saving, spending wisely, and understanding that money is earned. Linking at least some of it to learning effort adds a second win: better school skills alongside better money sense.

Turn practice into pocket money

The Pocket Money Game covers spelling, times tables and reading across the KS1 and KS2 curriculum — and your child earns real pocket money for every correct answer.

Free 7-day trial. No card needed.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much pocket money should I give my child in the UK?

Rough UK averages are £1–£2 a week for ages 4–6, £2–£5 for ages 7–10, and £5–£10 for ages 11–14. These are starting points — your family budget and circumstances matter most.

Should pocket money be linked to chores or learning?

Both work. Linking to chores teaches that money comes from work; linking to learning effort motivates schoolwork skills like spelling and maths. Many families use a mix.

How much should I pay per correct answer for learning rewards?

Small amounts of 5p to 10p per correct answer add up meaningfully for a child while staying affordable. The immediacy of earning as they go matters more than the total.