Children pocket more cash

Under 16 year-olds get an average £1,200

Children are earning more than £1,000 a year in pocket money by doing jobs around the house.

Cleaning the house was the most well paid chore, closely followed by unloading the dishwasher.

But boys earn more cash than girls from helping their parents, according to the survey on pocket money for under 16s, by Abbey National.

The average child earns £1,200 a year while 21% of parents pay out nearly £2,500 a year.

Chore earnings

Cleaning house £2.77

Dishwasher duties £2.52

Washing car £2.30

Doing homework £1.02

Making bed 76p

While boys got an average £5.10 for unloading the dishwasher, girls only netted £1.04.

Mummy's helper

The most common task children are asked to do is lay the table but 80% of parents offered no cash incentive.

However 36% of the 702 parents questioned by NOP pay their children to take the rubbish out.

Janet Connor, retail marketing director, said: "So much for the days of mummy's little helper lending a hand around the house - today's kids well and truly know what side their bread is buttered on".

She said parents could save money hiring a cleaner.

Children in the West Midlands get paid the most for dishwasher duties - an average £12.69 while those in Yorkshire get a mere 10p.

Taking the rubbish out was the best paid job in the North West, where children earn an average of £3.37.