What is the cost of raising a child in the UK in 2025?

What is the cost of a child? This article highlights the cost of raising a child in the UK from birth until they reach the age of 18, including a child’s birthday party cost. Many parents are surprised by the hidden costs of parenthood. As they set out to give their child the best start in life, the true cost of raising a child can be a real eye-opener.

While not an exhaustive list, you can find out the key average costs of having a child below.

What is the cost of a child?

• The cost of raising a child to age 18 is £259,028 for a couple and £290,807 for a lone parent, according to Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG)’s research published in 2025. 

The figures above include childcare costs. The cost of a child is higher for a lone parent than a couple due to economies of scale within household budgets, which benefits couples more than single parents.    

Cost per week per child

(including childcare, rent and council tax for first child) 

Child’s age	Cost per week for couple’s 1st child (£)	Cost per week for lone parent’s 1st child (£)
0	406.92	458.29
1	406.92	458.29
2	314.15	365.53
3	314.15	365.53
4	314.15	365.53
5	270.01	327.38
6	270.01	327.38
7	270.01	327.38
8	270.01	327.38
9	270.01	327.38
10	270.01	327.38
11	334.06	391.43
12	334.06	391.43
13	334.06	391.43
14	246.70	298.07
15	246.70	298.07
16	246.70	298.07
17	246.70	298.07

The table above is based on Minimum Income Standard (MIS) data researched by the independent Centre for Research in Social Policy (based at Loughborough University) for the Joseph Rowntree Foundation. 

What is the cost of having a baby?

Maternity and Paternity leave

Maternity leave can bring a loss of earnings for the length of leave a new mum decides to take (e.g. 6 months, 9 months or a year). Earning loss can differ depending on your employer’s maternity policy. For example, some employers may only provide 6 weeks paid leave while others may offer 6 months paid leave.

Statutory maternity pay provided by the government ensures mothers receive money when their child is born for 9 months.

A new father wishing to take paternity leave can receive two weeks paid statutory paternity leave. If they wish to take more leave, depending on their employer’s paternity policy, fathers can face a loss of earnings.  

How much is baby feeding equipment?

• Feeding equipment in the first month of your baby’s life, according to moneyhelper.org.uk, costs on average £70. This can include a breast pump, sterilizing equipment, baby bottles, bottle brushes and teats.
• According to the site, breastfeeding breast pumps cost on average £100.
• If you include nursing bras and breast pads, this figure rises to £120.
• For the first year of a child’s life, the average cost for bottles, according to smartcell.com, is £80.
• For sterilising equipment in the first year, smartcell.com states parents spend on average £40.

How much is baby formula?

If you are not breast-feeding your baby, you will need to include the cost of buying formula milk for your infant.

• Baby formula costs between £50-100 per month.

How much are nappies?

A newborn can go through up to 12 nappies a day.

• A disposable nappy costs between 3p and 16p, depending on the brand. 
• In the first month of your child’s life, according to moneyhelper.org.uk, you will spend on average £60 on nappies.

The cost of using nappies for a child from birth until 2.5 years old varies depending on brand and type.

• For example, thenappylady.co.uk, shows Aldi Mamia’s brand of disposable nappies totals £265.60.
• Terry Square kit reusable nappies cost £530.97.

How much is baby clothing?

In the first month of your baby’s life, according to moneyhelper.org.uk, the average spend for baby clothes is £243.

How much is baby equipment?

You will also spend on furniture and toys in the first month of your baby’s life, which can include child-proof equipment.     

• A cot, according to Which? costs between £200-700.
• A moses basket costs on average £125.
• The consumer group suggests that for a new pushchair, parents spend on average £490.
• It states car seat prices start at £100.
• The average cost of baby audio monitors is £49.61.
• Baby video monitors cost £30-50.

Parents returning to work

How much are nursery fees?

• The average cost of a part-time nursery place for a child under two years old in England is £70.51 a week (25 hours a week), according to Coram Family and Childcare’s 2025 childcare survey.
• A full-time nursery place for a child under two years-old in England is £238.95 a week.  
• A part-time nursery place for a child under two years old in Scotland costs on average £122.38 a week.
• The average cost of a full-time nursery place for a child under two years-old in Scotland is £239.78 a week.
• A part-time nursery place for a child under two years old in Wales costs on average £155.04 a week.
• The average cost of a full-time nursery place for a child under two years-old in Wales is £290.06 a week.

How much are childminder fees?

• After working parents ‘funded’ childcare entitlement has been taken into account, a part-time (25 hours a week) childminder for a child under two in England costs £59.76 a week.
• A part-time childminder in Scotland costs on average £137.79 a week and £127.95 a week in Wales. 
• A full-time childminder (50 hours a week) for a child under two in England costs £202.09 a week.
• A full-time childminder in Scotland costs £259.53 a week and £259.51 a week in Wales.    

For more childcare costs read this article.

How much is food shopping and meals out for a child?  

• The average food bill for a family of three (two adults and one young child) is around £92-124 a week.
• On average, for meals out, parents with a young child spend £32 a week.

These figures are based on analysis of UK household data from the Office of National Statistics in 2025.

How much does children’s clothing cost?

Clothing a child from birth to 18 years-old costs on average £16,000 (not including footwear), according to moneysupermarket.com. This is an average clothing bill of £888 a year.

School years

How much is bus fare for school?

The average cost for school transport in the UK can reach £390 a year for secondary school pupils on bus fares.

How much is the school run?

A typical school run for a primary school-aged child, sees petrol cost on average £177 a year, according to digital car finance lender Carmoola. Parents spend on average £157 for diesel on the school run each year. Those who drive EVs spend on average 9.75p per mile (50p a day for school run), which is £97.50 a year.

School uniform & PE equipment

A UK survey in 2024 of school uniform suppliers by the Schoolwear Association, sees the average cost of secondary school uniform and sportswear for a child starting school costing £92.36.

School lunch money

• School meal prices in the UK vary by school, but generally range from £2.30-3.55 per meal.

• Packed lunches and snacks for a child in secondary school cost families up to £846 a year, according to Minimum Income Standard (MIS) data researched by Loughborough University’s Centre for Research in Social Policy (CRSP). 

School trips

• According to the Next Generation Travel Group, a school day trip in the UK ranges from £50 -100 per child.
• Overnight trips cost between £150-400 per child.
• International trip costs vary based on the destination and length of time but cost between £300-2,000 per child.

How much is an after-school club? 

• Coram’s 2025 childcare survey reveals that for an after-school club in the UK, parents pay on average £66.48 a week.
• An after-school club in England costs parents £69.22 a week.
• In Scotland, an after-school club costs £67.27 a week.
• In Wales, an after-school club costs £68.89 a week.

How much is an after school childminder?

Coram’s 2025 survey found the average price of a childminder to take care of your child after school until 6pm is £81.26 a week.

How much is a holiday club?  

• According to Coram, parents in the UK pay on average for a holiday club £179 a week.
• In England, holiday clubs cost on average £178 a week.
• In Scotland, a holiday club costs £168 a week.
• In Wales, a holiday club costs £210 a week.
• Coram’s 2025 survey reveals summer holiday clubs to cover the UK’s six-week school holidays cost parents on average £1,076 per child.
• In England, summer-long holiday clubs cost £1,038.84. In Scotland it is £1,004.96. In Wales it costs £1,252.90.

How much do a child’s extra-curricular activities cost?

Extra-curricular activities for your child can vary from music tuition, swimming lessons and martial arts classes, to dance classes, Kumon maths and driving lessons. The cost can also vary wildly.

How much are swimming lessons?

For example, swimming lessons for a child, according to airtasker.com, cost between £6 and £25 per lesson.

How much are driving lessons?

According to the RAC, the average person typically needs 45 hours of driving lessons and a further 22 hours of practice to be ready for a practical test.

• The cost of driving lessons is on average £25-£45 per hour.  At £45 an hour, 45 driving lessons cost £2,025.
• Applying for a provisional licence online costs £34. It is £43 if you apply by post.
• A driving theory test costs £23.  
• A driving test on weekdays costs £62. A weekend test is £75. 
• If your child does not have their own car, they will need to book their driving instructor’s car for 1 hour for a test which costs £30.
• The average first car in the UK costs £5,500.
• Association of British Insurers (ABI) data reveals the average insurance premium, if you are 18 years old, costs £972.
• Getting your 17 year-old on the road and driving for 12 months in the UK costs an average of £7,609, according to Moneysupermarket’s Spring Household Money Index (published March 2024).

How much does it cost to teach child with finance and budgeting?

How much pocket money should I give my child?

According to Natwest Rooster Money’s Pocket Money Index 2025 (published June 2025), the average weekly pocket money for a child by age is shown in the table below.

• For example, pocket money for a 6 year-old (the earliest age pocket money is typically given) is £2.81 a week.
• It increases to £3.13 a week for a 9 year-old.
• Pocket money is typically around £6.59 for a 16 year-old.
• Pocket money is typically £8.31 for a 17 year-old.

Age of child	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17
Average pocket money a week (£)	2.81	2.85	2.97	3.13	3.32	3.67	4.05	4.55	5.08	5.73	6.59	8.31

How much should I put in my child’s savings account?

Many parents set up a bank account and a savings account for their child. Exactly how much you pay into your child’s account will depend on your individual circumstances.

• UK parents have an average of £4,001 saved for each child, according to a 2024 study from financial services review website Smart Money People and its sister website, Be Clever With Your Cash.
• The research suggests parents could have an estimated £13,500 in savings for their child, by the time their child reaches 18 years old. 

How much is entertainment for a child?

How much are books for my child?

Popular children’s book titles can cost on average £5-£8. However, you can buy books for as little as £1 and make use of a public library. 

How much do computer games cost?

• Games can range from being free to download, to up to £99 but on average, gamers spend £32 a month, according to a Censuswide survey of 2,000 gamers for TSB in 2024.

The cost of broadband can go up for parents, as Microsoft in 2023 estimated the average game uses 100MB of data per hour.

How much is a smartphone for child?

The best cheap smartphones, according to research by the Independent in 2025, are:

• Xiaomi Redmi Note 14 Pro 5G costing £259.
• Samsung Galaxy A55 costing £339.
• Google Pixel 8a costing £349.

How much do toys cost?

If you are buying your child toys as a gift for their birthday, Christmas, a treat or decide to make an impulse purchase, you may be among the majority of parents who spend £15 per toy.

• Some 47% of the UK toy market in 2024 was dominated by purchases of toys priced under £15.    

How much is a child’s birthday party?    

Parents spend as much or as little as they can want on their child’s birthday party which can last a couple of hours. While some parties can include your child’s whole class others can involve just a handful of the child’s good friends.

One parent said: “I have never spent more than £150 on a party and people still do them cheaper by just having a few friends over.”

• Food and drink can cost as little as £50.
• A local hall can be hired as a venue for a few hours for £35-over £100.
• Party bags with goodies cost £5-£10.

• A child’s birthday party can cost in total under £100 for a small at-home gathering to over £500 for more elaborate parties.

According to research by Oxygen Activeplay, a child’s birthday party costs on average £524 in 2025. This cost includes venue hire, party decorations, food, party bags and entertainment such as a bouncy castle.  

How much should I spend on a child’s birthday present?

• Toy retailer TK Maxx’s poll of 1,500 people, found the average parent spends £175 a year on a birthday gift for their child.
• Buying presents for their child’s friends can cost up to £95 a year.  

How much are family holidays?

• The average cost of a holiday abroad for a family of four is £3,628. The figure is based on Office for National Statistics data for 2023 ‘Travel Trends 2023’ and ‘Family Spending 2023’.  
• The average per-person cost of a 9-night holiday abroad is £1,312.  
• Out of this, £1312, the cost of flights is on average £232 per person.
• Holiday spending abroad for accommodation, food, drink and entertainment is on average £120 per night per person.