Britain's kids are raking in almost £700 million a year for chores and errands - and most of the money is coming from their parents.

A survey has found that 27% of youngsters aged from 11-18 regularly receive income from doing chores.

Babysitting is the most popular way of earning extra pocket money, with half of all working under-18s doing it earning an average of £16.96 for a four-hour shift, or £4.24 an hour.

The research by Abbey Banking found car washing was the second most popular way to earn money (15 per cent), followed by everyday household chores like washing the dishes (nine per cent), tidying the house (nine per cent), and vacuuming (four per cent).

Other ways of getting parents to cough up extra cash included cutting the grass (six per cent), and walking the dog (five per cent).

And while girls were more likely than boys to be making money from odd jobs (30 per cent and 24 per cent respectively), even at a young age boys are emerging as the top earners, raking in £55 per month, compared to the £38 earned by girls.

Steve Shore, head of Abbey Banking, says: "The research shows that British kids are making the most of earning opportunities and as a result, the odd-job economy is thriving.

"As well as giving kids a boost to their pocket money, this is a great way for parents to show their children the value of money and teach valuable financial lessons."

However, parenting expert Dr Pat Spungin, founder of the website raisingkids.co.uk, warns that parents who pay kids for everyday chores may be creating a rod for their own backs.

"There should be things that you expect to be done without paying," she says, "like setting the table and washing up, because it's part of living in a family and pulling your weight."

She says parents might choose to pay kids to do less routine jobs, like cutting the grass, but stresses: "I think it's a great mistake to pay for run-of-the-mill household chores.

"If you give them money for things like washing the dishes, you're sending a message that it's really your job and you're paying them to do your work.

"Then they think they're entitled to a hotel service unless they're paid to do something."

However, Fiona Hogarth of the Personal Finance Education Group (pfeg), which helps teachers advise pupils about personal money matters, stresses that earning from a young age teaches children where money comes from, and its value.

She points out that research just carried out by pfeg found that 77 per cent of primary-age children get money from doing chores - while 51 per cent get it for "just being good."

"It's important that children get used to handling money, and learn what to do with it," she says.

"But whether they get pocket money for doing nothing, or whether they have to earn it, is something that individual parents have to decide."

11:54am Monday 17th March 2008

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