Start with this
“We will choose an amount that works for our family. It may be small, and it may be £0 for now.”
Do this next
- Choose what you can keep up. Do not stretch the food or bills budget. £0 is a valid answer.
- Choose the day and the purpose. Say when it comes and what your child may choose with it.
- Try it for four weeks. Then ask what was clear, what was hard and what needs to change.
Weekly or monthly?
A shorter wait may be easier for a younger child to see. You could start weekly, but it is not a rule. The best rhythm is one you can remember and keep.
What does the money cover?
Keep it small and clear. It might cover one treat, a comic or saving towards one chosen thing. Food, warm clothes, travel and care stay adult jobs. Do not make essentials depend on saving well.
No spare money or no regular pocket money?
Use five pretend coins, counters or marks on paper. Let your child make one safe choice in a paper shop. The idea is to see “now or later”, not to prove that your family can pay an allowance.
Make it easier to follow
Use a picture of the pocket-money day. Show the amount with coins, blocks or dots. Your child can point, move an object, use AAC, watch or pass. Do not test speed or mental maths.
Why we do not give an average
MoneyHelper says there is no right amount. It depends on the family and the money available. Regularity can matter more than size. App-user averages often include much older children and do not set a target for a 4-year-old or 7-year-old.