- Mowing the lawn unveiled as most lucrative pocket money chore according to analysis of over half a million Rooster Card user’s money habits
- From screens to scenes: gaming drops behind holidays and travel as children’s top savings goal
- Average weekly pocket money climbs to £9.74 (+6.7% YoY), with outdoor chores securing highest earnings
- Chore Couture: Aston Merrygold and son Grayson unveil ‘Chorewear’, a limited-edition jacket inspired by the nation’s top-paying outdoor tasks
Britain's children are cleaning up according to the NatWest Rooster Money’s 10th Annual Pocket Money Index, with the best paid chores to be found in the great outdoors. Children aged 6 through to 17 are now averaging £9.74 per week in overall pocket money, a 6.7% increase on last year's £9.13, bringing the average annual income for a UK child to a landmark £506.48 per year.
Based on the earning, saving and spending habits of over half a million Rooster Card users across the UK, this year's Index reveals a clear indoor-outdoor pay gap, with the highest earning tasks consistently taking children off the sofa and outside into the fresh air.
With almost a third (30%) of UK children completing chores as a condition of getting their pocket money, this year’s Index paints a picture of active, motivated earners, challenging the stereotype of a generation obsessed with screens.
For the third consecutive year, mowing the lawn is the UK's most lucrative chore, earning children an average of £3.52 per session, 12x more than the most common indoor task of making the bed (28p). Car washing (£3.36) is close behind followed by window cleaning (£1.65) and gardening (£1.38).
Pet care is also getting kids up and out, with dog walking (£1.15) featuring in the top ten earners, up 11% YOY, whilst cleaning up dog poo (£0.72) has seen a 9% YOY rise. Chicken care is one of the most exciting little earners for youngsters most at home around the hen house, clucking up an average of £1.14 per job.
This outdoor trend extends beyond earning, shaping children’s saving priorities too. Gaming has dropped from the top spot to third, with holidays and travel emerging as the top savings goal, followed by saving for the future, reflecting a growing interest in IRL experiences beyond devices.
Chore Couture: a jacket inspired by how kids earn
To encourage more families to take action and embrace the ‘great out chores’, NatWest Rooster Money has created Chorewear, a first‑of‑its‑kind limited edition jacket inspired by the Pocket Money Index's highest-earning outdoor chores. Designed to get families outside, taking on real‑world jobs and learning through doing, every element is crafted around the most lucrative outdoor jobs in this year’s data, including:
- Built-in retractable dog lead and dedicated poo bag holder for dog walking
- Insulated snack pocket to keep energy levels up during a long gardening session
- Reflective safety strips for early morning gardening escapades
- Tool loops for attaching equipment like a folding litter picker
- Microfibre cloth attachment for car washing and window cleaning
- Multiple pockets for all children’s spending and saving requirements
Put every feature to use and a child could earn £11.78 in a single day. Rooster Money customers will have the chance to get their hands on the Chorewear limited run later this summer.
To launch the latest findings and spark conversation around the nation’s pocket money habits, NatWest Rooster Money has partnered with singer, dancer and TV presenter Aston Merrygold, and his son child Grayson, 8, who headed outdoors to put the jacket to the test together.
Aston Merrygold said: "Growing up, I had to earn my pocket money, whether that was washing the car or helping out in the garden. Those early lessons really stick with you. Now as a dad, I want to give my kids that same grounding, understanding the value of money and what it means to work for it. Getting Grayson involved in chores and seeing him take pride in earning and saving is really important to me. It’s about setting them up with the right habits for later in life. Working with NatWest Rooster Money and trialling the Chorewear jacket together has been great fun, and we hope it inspires other families to find simple, everyday ways to learn about money, especially by spending time together outdoors.”
Generosity gains: family and Tooth Fairy income on the rise
On top of outdoor chores, the nation’s children are seeing their income boosted thanks to generous benefactors. The Tooth Fairy has had a bumper 2026, with average payments up 14% year-on-year, rising from £4.21 to £4.79 per tooth.
Family gifting is also on the up: average birthday gifts now stand at £46.41 (up 2% year-on-year), whilst grandparent contributions have risen 5% to £24.49, and aunts and uncles are chipping in 3% more than last year, now averaging £24.80.
Will Carmichael, CEO and Founder of NatWest Rooster Money, says:
“At a time when many families are concerned about navigating screen time, encouraging children to step away from devices and earn pocket money through real-world responsibilities could play a key role in building independence and essential life skills. Studies suggest that children who regularly complete chores go on to develop higher confidence, stronger relationships and better performance at school.
Over ten years of the Pocket Money Index, we’ve seen how those early experiences of earning play an important role in shaping how children start making their own money choices, which is exactly what NatWest Rooster Money is designed to do. Chorewear brings that to life in a simple, playful way, celebrating how kids are getting a head start with money through practical, hands-on experiences.”
To view the full 2026 NatWest Rooster Money Pocket Money Index, visit: roostermoney.com/pocket-money-index-hub
For more information, please email: natwestpmi@golin.com
Notes to Editors
- The limited run of Chorewear jackets will be made available to NatWest Rooster Money customers via an exclusive giveaway later this summer.
- Research reference: According to a 2019 study in the Journal of Developmental & Behavioral Pediatrics (White et al.), children who regularly take part in household chores are more likely to develop higher confidence, better relationships and stronger academic performance as they grow older.
- Gardening relates to all outdoor gardening tasks excluding lawn mowing.
About NatWest Rooster Money
NatWest Rooster Money is a children’s pre-paid debit card and pocket money app, designed to give kids a head start with money, building their money confidence. Founded in 2015, it relaunched as NatWest Rooster Money in 2022, after being acquired by NatWest.
The app features a range of easy-to-use tools to help get children hands on with money from an early age, including the Rooster Card, which comes with a range of parental controls and is available for ages six to 17.
NatWest Rooster Money is part of NatWest’s wider offering for young people and families, including NatWest Thrive, NatWest Adapt, NatWest Junior ISA and NatWest First Saver.
