Child benefit paying back via self assessment

[TheArtfulScreamer1]

Friend has 1 DS she earns 25K her DH who is not DS dad earns over 60k but with pension contributions would be under 60k. Her ex DH who is the child's father owns a pub but she has no idea what his income is nor is he likely to provide her with this information. She doesn't get maintenance as custody is supposedly 50/50 albeit she has DS far more now as he often chooses not to go to dad's. Does she need to do a self assessment form to pay back child benefit given that DH isn't dad and she's no idea of ex DH income.

Nothing to do with her ex.

Her DH is responsible for checking that he doesn't have a tax liability due his earnings and her receiving CB

Thanks for the reply she didn't know if it would make a difference with DH not being dad and he doesn't really pay towards her DS as they don't share finances which I find abit odd but hey ho each to their own.

It's household income.

Her DH, not her is liable to complete self assessment as its household income.

The system gives me the absolute rage. Why should her DH be financially penalised for living in the same house as a child he has no legal responsibility for - it’s completely bonkers.

We are in a similar situation and although her DH has no legal parental rights or obligation to financially support DS, his income will be need to be self assessed and there will be a payment required. She can opt to not take it which is really the only way to avoid the bill.

Her dh would be liable as they live as a family. Nothing to do with the ex. It's not her that does the self assessment as it her dh's responsibility.

It's not based on total household income but the income of the highest earner.

She could opt out of payments and then there would be no self assessment to complete

Ah yes I meant the individual income of the people living in the same household, apologies for the confusion!

Her husband needs to do a self-assessment form and pay some of it back, if his income post-tax is above 50k but under 60k.

This is one of the downfalls of being a resident step-parent.