money worries
© AlamyOne in three children said they worried about money "at least some of the time"
One in three children aged 8 to 15 worry about money "at least sometimes", according to one of the most authoritative regular surveys of children's pocket money.

Children in greater London were revealed as the most financially anxious: more than half (54pc) said they had money concerns some of the time and 12pc said they worried about money all the time.

Under 15s in Wales were the least concerned, according to Halifax, which commissions the report each year, although 24pc still said they worried at least some of the time.

Boys were found to experience more "financial stress" than girls.

Despite earning 2pc more pocket money - £6.93 to a girl's £6.16 - 37pc of boys fret about money compared to 30pc of girls. Last year, when boys earned just 2pc more pocket money, there was just a 1pc difference.

money worries
Giles Martin, head of savings at Halifax suggested the money worries of the children was likely to be "a reflection of young people picking up on their parents' financial anxieties".

Parents in Wales and the west of England were the least worried about money, like their children. However, 86pc still admitted to having concerns.

In the north west, 95pc of parents said they were troubled by their finances.

Dimitrios Tsivrikos, consumer and business psychologist at University College London, said children are beginning to learn about money from an earlier age, and not just through discussions overheard at home.

Dr Tsivrikos suggested many children are making purchases online and through apps. They are using their parents' money but they are the ones making decisions.

The ease in which children can purchase everyday services and online subscriptions may be a contributing factor to their financial anxiety, Dr Tsivrikos added.

He said: "It's no longer the case that the early transactions of children are occasional trips to the sweet shop.

"Now, kids are getting used to buying services online which they use everyday.

"If parents can no longer fund these purchases, children end up agonizing about what they see as a 'loss of a resource'."

Arguably, making such transactions when young is practical way of learning about money.

But Dr Tsvirikos added: "With financial maturity comes stress and anxiety. This could be damaging to children unless they have a full understanding of how money works."

The study suggested children are keen to improve their knowledge of household finance. Almost two thirds (63pc) said they wanted to know more about bank accounts and over a quarter (26pc) wanted to have a better understanding of credit cards.

Michael Mercieca, chief executive of Young Enterprise, a financial education charity, said teach money management at a young age is more crucial today than it has been in the past.

He said: "Young people today bear more financial risk in adulthood due to increased life expectancy, increased sophistication in financial services marketing, and uncertain economic and job prospects.

"A third of young adults find themselves in debt, so unfortunately it is not surprising that one in three 8 to 15 year olds are already harboring concerns about their financial situation."

Mr Mercieca supports the idea of pocket money as a way to teach children about earning, budgeting and saving for things they really want.

Are your children concerned about your family's finances? Email amelia.murray@telegraph.co.uk