- Almost 1 in 4 (23%) parents said their child has caused damage to their contents or property as a result of helping out - with 1 in 5 (21%) taking the repair costs from their child’s savings.
- Parents pay their kids £22 in monthly allowances, on average, for helping with household chores.
- Washing the car is the biggest earner for kids, with parents paying £5.20 on average.
- Confused.com experts explain how accidental damage insurance can protect you from mishaps.
Asking children to help out around the house not only helps you tick off the chore list quicker, but can be great for their development. But parents have reported £141 worth of damages caused by kids helping out with household chores, on average.
That’s according to new research by Confused.com home insurance, which found that almost 9 out of 10 (87%) UK parents ask, or asked, their children to help out with household chores.
On average, parents typically start involving their kids in housework around 8 years old. Although, almost 2 in 5 (39%) started them at 7 years old or younger. This includes helping out with things like tidying their room (87%), washing up or helping with the dishwasher (47%), or taking out the bins (34%).
Almost a third (32%) claim they also ask their children to help out with cooking and meal preparation, while more than 1 in 5 (21%) involve their children in gardening or washing the car.
However, while asking kids to help around the house might seem like a helpful thing to do, almost 1 in 4 (23%) parents claim their child has caused some damage around the house while completing chores. This amounted to £141 worth of repairs, on average.
More than half (53%) said their child had broken tools, while a further 49% said they had damaged items along the way. More than 2 in 5 (42%) stained or ruined furniture, and 40% had damaged the carpet. And in some cases, the damage went beyond the home, with almost a third (32%) saying they’d scratched or damaged car paint. While most (83%) paid out to repair the damages themselves, more than a fifth (21%) admit to taking money from their child’s savings to cover the costs.
But for some, they had to rely on insurance to cover the costs. Perhaps more than 1 in 7 (15%) had damages worth over £250. With many children damaging things like carpet or furniture, repairs can be costly. And this is where insurance can help. Accidental damage cover can be added to home insurance policies to cover any unexpected or non-deliberate mishaps. This can help cover the cost of repairing or replacing damaged items in the home or garden. And the good news is there generally aren’t any age restrictions, so damages caused by children should be covered.
But if the damage is minor, the insurance excess may not be worth it, depending on the value of the broken or damaged item. This is where many parents took money from their children - perhaps to teach them a lesson?
Although, according to the research, they may well be able to afford it! That’s as 91% of parents who task their children with chores reward them for their efforts. More than 1 in 4 (21%) pay their children a monthly allowance of £22, on average. Although, almost a third (30%) reward their children for specific chores - which can add up to a significant amount! Washing the car in particular earns children £5.20 a time, on average. And helping out with general cleaning pockets them £4.50 on average.
Average cost of household rewards:
- Washing up - £3.60
- Tidying their bedroom - £3.30
- Taking out the bins - £3.80
- Gardening - £4.40
- Washing the car - £5.20
- Laundry - £4.10
- Cooking - £3.80
- Vacuuming - £3.80
- General cleaning - £4.50
Given 1 in 8 (12%) parents ask their children to help out around the house daily, and more than a third (37%) do so a few times a week, kids could quickly be pocketing a significant amount of cash!
While it comes with risk, almost all (91%) UK parents agree that involving children in household chores is beneficial for their development. But, given how costly little mishaps could be, ensuring you are covered before asking kids to help out is key to protecting your home and belongings.
Matthew Harwood, home insurance expert at Confused.com, comments, “Having kids help around the house can be fun and hugely beneficial for their development. They learn how to manage small day-to-day tasks, and if you give them pocket money, then they can learn basic money management too! But it does come with a risk that things can get damaged along the way.
“While a broken glass or damaged plants may not break the bank, if tools get broken or furniture damaged, the repairs could be costly. This is why it’s important to either invest in, or ensure you have, accidental cover on your home insurance before involving children in chores that could lead to damage. That way, they can keep learning and developing, and your home is protected at the same time.”
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