Kids face a north-south divide when it comes to pocket money – with those further up the country earning more, it emerged yesterday.
Researchers found youngsters north of the border earn on average £175.76 more throughout their childhood compared to their southern counterparts – but are MORE likely to have to work for it.
Children in the south were likely to get their pocket money regardless of whether they lifted a finger around the house or not.
While those in the north were likely to be given cash only if they completed chores like washing up, vacuuming and helping out with the family pet.
They were also more likely to have their pocket money stopped if they misbehaved; with parents in the north more likely to use it as a bargaining tool to ensure they are well mannered and polite.
As a result, more parents in the north said their children had a good grasp of the value of money and understood how much things were worth compared to those in in the south who were more likely to think their children are ‘clueless’ about money.
The research commissioned jointly by pub restaurant chain Fayre & Square and leading indoor playbarn brand Wacky Warehouse, also showed that kids were earning on average £10.38 a week in pocket money.
And the average child starting to receive an allowance from five years old and getting a weekly hand out until they get a job or reach 18 – whatever happens first.
Sally Wainwright, Concept Manager for Fayre & Square and Wacky Warehouse, said: ‘’These are tough times for parents but it would seem that pocket money is ring fenced for most when it comes to making savings in the family finances.
‘’However, the most interesting part of this research for us was seeing the link between children who have to do something to earn money, actually learning the value of it.
‘’As a deal focused, family ‘leisure’ brand, we have seen first-hand how parents have sacrificed a lot during this recession, but continue to find the money for good times spent together as a family. Whether the kids appreciate that is another thing.”
According to the survey, parents in the north were more likely to want to give their kids more pocket money even though they were most likely to struggle to scrape the cash together.
Most parents also said they negotiated the rate of pocket money with their child while a quarter said they just gave their child what their friends got.
Younger kids were more likely to be bribed into behaving with the threat of their pocket money getting stopped, whereas teenagers were less likely to be expected to work for what they get.
More than half of parents in the south say they don’t expect their children to do anything in exchange for their pocket money while less than a third of parents felt like this in the north.
Children in the north were more appreciative of the allowance they were given and less likely to ask their parents for more.
As well as getting an allowance on a weekly basis millions of children also pocketed extra cash by completing chores around the house.
Changing the bed sheets was the best earner for kids with them getting paid an average of £7.82 while vacuuming could be worth £5.97.
Cleaning the garden earns the average child £6.48 while simply making their bed every day earns children £6.92.
Only half of kids were happy to tidy their room without being rewarded with cash and less than a quarter would wash the family car without getting paid.
Sally Wainwright added: ‘’We’ve teamed up with Wacky Warehouse to run a schools’ campaign that will get children thinking about money, albeit in a fun way. Neither money nor games consoles grow on trees (unfortunately) and if we can get children to start saving a bit of their pocket money each week for something they really want, rather than just expecting it, we might be helping parents in some small way.’’
EARNINGS PER CHORE
- Cleaning the car £5.12
- Tidy their room £5.53
- Cleaning the garden £6.48
- Vacuuming £5.97
- Dusting £6.12
- Make their bed every day for a week £6.92
- Putting clothes away £6.71
- Drying up every day for a week £5.34
- Setting the table every day for a week £6.96
- Sweeping £6.92
- Washing up every day for a week £5.03
- Help with a pet £7.18
- Clearing the table every day for a week £7.26
- Putting shopping away £7.27
- Hanging washing on the line £7.37
- Mopping £7.21
- Change the bed sheets £7.82
