ONE in three children as young as eight worries about money, a report has found.

When asked: "Do you ever worry about money?", 33 per cent of youngsters aged between eight and 15 said they did - and boys appear more likely to pick up on their parents' financial concerns than girls - Halifax found.

Despite boys receiving more weekly pocket money than girls on average, at £6.93 versus £6.16 for girls, 37 per cent of boys worry about money, compared with 30 per cent of girls.

When similar research was carried out 12 months ago, there was no particular gender divide, Halifax said.

The research also found big differences in money worries depending on where children live.

Nearly nine in 10 (88 per cent) parents say that they worry about money themselves.

The research suggests parents are also aware of their children's money worries, with a third (33 per cent) of parents surveyed saying they think their children worry about cash.

The research also suggests that parents are becoming more confident in teaching their children the value of pounds and pence.

More than four in five (83 per cent) of parents feel comfortable talking about money with their children, up from just over three-quarters (76 per cent) in 2015.

When it comes to improving their knowledge of banking, nearly two-thirds (63 per cent) of children want to learn about bank accounts and more than a quarter (26 per cent) want to increase their knowledge of credit cards.

Giles Martin, head of Halifax Savings, said: "It is concerning that one in three children worry about money. This is likely to be a reflection of young people picking up on their parents' financial anxieties and shows how money issues continue to affect many families.

"Boys seem more switched on to these concerns, as despite receiving significantly more pocket money than girls, they are now more likely to worry.

"It is encouraging, however, that parents are now more comfortable talking to their children about money.

"With nearly two thirds of children keen to understand more about banking, it is clear these conversations are appreciated."

The research also found that borrowing money starts at an early age. Nearly one in five (19 per cent) children say they borrow money, with more boys (21 per cent) admitting to this than girls (18 per cent).

Children in London were most likely to borrow cash, with 30 per cent doing so, and those in Scotland the least likely to borrow, with just 14% doing this.

Borrowing also tended to increase with age. Nearly one in four (24 per cent) 15-year-olds borrow money, compared with just 16 per cent of eight-year-olds.

Three in 10 (29 per cent) children said they lend money to other people. Nearly a third of boys (32 per cent) lend money to others, compared with just over a quarter (26 per cent) of girls.

Older children seem more likely to spread their cash around, with two in five (40 per cent) 15-year-olds saying they offer to lend money, in comparison to less than one in five (17 per cent) nine year-olds.

More than 1,200 children aged between eight and 15 and more than 500 parents were surveyed for the report.