---
title: "Making Change"
description: "Calculating change from a purchase; working confidently with pounds and pence together; solving practical money problems involving addition and subtraction"
canonical: https://lightmysky.com/learn/life-skills/making-change-mt_aWOK1npO5s
source: https://lightmysky.com/learn/life-skills/making-change-mt_aWOK1npO5s.md
retrieved: 2026-10-19
---

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# Making Change

Calculating change from a purchase; working confidently with pounds and pence together; solving practical money problems involving addition and subtraction

Subject: Life Skills · Area: Money & Finance · Ages 7 to 9
Page: https://lightmysky.com/learn/life-skills/making-change-mt_aWOK1npO5s

## Ready when they can

- Calculate the change from £5 when buying items costing pounds and pence
- Add two or three prices together to find a total cost
- Check whether they have been given the correct change in a role-play scenario

## Lesson: Making change

When you buy something and pay with more money than it costs, the shop gives some money back. That money is called change. You already know how to add and subtract money. Making change uses that same skill, in pounds and pence together.

*(drawing: A toy costs £3. You pay with a £5 note. Count up in pounds: £3, £4, £5. That is £2 change.)*

**Example.** Priya buys a pencil case for £2.40. She pays with a £5 note. First she counts up to £3.00: that is 60p. Then she counts up from £3.00 to £5.00: that is £2 more. So her change is 60p plus £2, which makes £2.60.

**Tip.** A good way to check your change: add the price and the change together. If it equals the money you paid, the change is right. £2.40 plus £2.60 equals £5.00, so Priya's change is correct.

Sometimes you buy two or three things at once. Add all the prices together first to find the total cost. Then work out the change from what you paid, the same way you did for one item.

**Recap.** To find change, count up from the price to the money you paid, and check it by adding the price and change back together.

## Practice

14 questions on this page, each with its working shown.

## Needs first

- [Money Addition & Subtraction](https://lightmysky.com/learn/mathematics/money-addition-and-subtraction-mt_6J1wmCWf41)
- [Making the Same Amount with Different Coins](https://lightmysky.com/learn/mathematics/making-the-same-amount-with-different-coins-mt_AF2BeFQwfX)
- [Buying Things](https://lightmysky.com/learn/life-skills/buying-things-mt_RNRymbz5SO)

## Opens up

- [Costs & Revenue](https://lightmysky.com/learn/life-skills/costs-and-revenue-mt_9gpUHWVKMR)