DS(16), part-time job, how much pocket money (if any)?

[AbbeFausseMaigre]

Interested to know what other people do and hear other people's views!

DS(16) gets £32 per month pocket money. We buy all his clothes - he has no interest in expensive brands or anything so we're really only buying the basics - and we also buy the essentials for his hobby (music). If he wanted to go on an occasional special day out with his mates or his girlfriend or something we'd happily give him extra for travel, food etc. We buy little gifts through the year and of course gifts for birthday and Christmas. School trips etc we are fortunate to be able to afford comfortably. He is not at all materialistic, so his pocket money is really only needed for day-to-day junk food spending. All good.

He has recently started a part time job that he enjoys and earns him a decent chunk of money - around £40 a week in term time, and he will do a lot more hours over the summer. I'm now wondering what we should do about his pocket money - should we stop that now, but continue to pay for other things as before? Or perhaps he should also be planning for and paying for trips out with his mates etc?

My family was brassic growing up so regular pocket money simply didn't happen and I started working part-time at 15. I knew that many things were simply completely unaffordable and so my parents never had to teach me the value of money. Obviously I am pleased that we are in a different position with our own children but it does mean I'm not sure what the right thing to do is. It would feel harsh to withhold money that he knows we have if he, say, was invited out with his mates but had run out of cash?

It's made a bit more complicated because his younger sibling has significant mental health issues which a) have a knock on impact for the whole family and b) means that his sibling may not be able to earn their own money when they get to his age - I'm conscious that I don't want him to feel like he is always held to a higher standard (any more than he already does).

I should be clear that he isn't in the least entitled or demanding!

Bit of a ramble there, any thoughts?

I'd give the option for giving £20 and then saving the £16 per month for driving lessons. Unless you could afford them anyway, they are expensive.
If I can afford it, i'd let them keep both wage and pocket money. I've a few years to go yet, I wouldn't want to penalise the good effort of working part time and that achievement getting a job.

I would continue giving it. He should be happy with the extra instead of feeling like it just replaced what you would have given anyway. As a pp suggested, I would suggest to him that you put the pocket money amount away towards driving lessons / savings (in his name) as he will have enough for the day to day. This way he sees that he still gets it but it isn’t there for him to spend.