CHILDREN in Bolton are better off than those in the south of England when it comes to pocket money, a new report claims today.

The survey shows that seven to 10-year-olds living in the north receive an average of £3 pocket money a week, compared to £2.67 for those in the south.

Around 13 per cent of children in the north get £5 a week or more by their parents, compared with just nine per cent who live south of the Midlands, while 17 per cent of southern children get less than £1 a week, compared with 12 per cent in the north.

The divide is also evident among children aged 11 to 14, with those in the north receiving an average of £6.67, 28p a week more than their southern counterparts.

Children aged seven to 10 in the north also get an average of £129 a year through gifts from parents, £4 more than those in the south, while the older age group in the North get an average of £17 more.

The research, commissioned by market analyst Mintel, also found that parents on lower incomes are more generous to their children than more affluent families.

The gap narrows slightly among the older age group, with those from less well-off households getting an average of £6.67 a week, while those from better off ones get £6.26.