Raising a child costs more than average semi-detached house, study finds

Raising a child to the age of 21 costs more than the average semi-detached house, a report has found.

Across the UK, the typical cost of raising a child is £231,843, according to calculations for LV=.

Its report pointed to figures from Halifax, which show the average price of a semi-detached house in the UK is £12,588 less, at £219,255.

The cost of raising a child varies throughout the UK, from £253,638 in London to £214,559 in Yorkshire and the Humber.

Parents with children in private education can expect to pay much more.

The report, compiled by the Centre for Economics and Business Research (Cebr) for LV=, found that sending a child to private school would add, on average, £141,863 for a child attending day school, or £260,927 for a child boarding at school.

Generally, the most expensive years for raising a child are when he or she is between the ages of one and four, with childcare costs placing a particular strain on budgets. Parents typically spend £63,224 during these years.

The first year of a child's life is also a financial pinch point, with parents typically spending £11,498 when many will have seen a cut in their income due to taking leave from work to care for their baby.

Parents spend more than £70,000 on childcare and babysitting when raising their child, amounting to nearly a third (30%) of the total cost of raising them to the age of 21.

They spend around £74,000 on education, excluding private school fees. The £74,000 figure includes school uniforms, lunches, trips and equipment as well as university costs.

A further £19,000 is spent by parents on feeding their child, £10,000 is spent on clothing and £4,600 is shelled out as pocket money.

The bill for entertaining a child is also high, with £16,000 spent on holidays, £9,000 on hobbies and toys and £7,000 on leisure and recreation.

The overall cost has increased from £229,251 last year, the report found.

Here is how the £231,843 cost of raising a child adds up, according to calculations for LV= (figures have been rounded):

:: Childcare and babysitting, £70,466

:: Education (excluding private school fees), £74,430

:: Food, £19,004

:: Clothing, £10,942

:: Holidays, £16,882

:: Hobbies and toys, £9,307

:: Leisure and recreation, £7,464

:: Pocket money, £4,614

:: Furniture, £3,408

:: Personal items, £1,130

:: Other (includes driving lessons, first car, birthday and Christmas presents), £14,195

The cost of a child by age:

:: First year, £11,498

:: Years one to four, £63,224

:: Years five to 10, £48,479

:: Years 11 to 17, £55,197

:: Years 18 to 21, £53,445

The average cost of raising a child by region:

:: London, £253,638

:: South East, £245,756

:: East of England, £239,125

:: South West, £236,534

:: West Midlands, £234,269

:: North West, £223,832

:: East Midlands, £229,416

:: North East, £217,820

:: Yorkshire and the Humber, £214,559

:: England, £233,136

:: Scotland, £230,988

:: Wales, £215,144

:: Northern Ireland, £242,413