Child Benefit Terminology! And Self-Assessment Requirements. Advice Needed

[DonaldDuck92]

Hi all,

Advice needed on HMRC/Child benefit/Self-assessment language/requirements please.

1) if you receive child benefit and then you stop because you are over the threshold then do you need to do something to cease the 'child benefit award'? Is there a dual action needed? My partner ceased receipt of payments in 2019 but his award was still 'live' in 2021. Was he supposed to do something with the 'award' part of this. It's confusing...

2) My partner moved out of the house he shared with his soon to be ex-wife at the end of 2020, but he kept his registered address as the house for admin purposes.
HMRC says you are eligible to do self-assessment tax return if you share the house with someone who is claiming child benefit (his ex does). However, he doesn't actually share the house and is in full time employment so does tax etc through employment.

Any advice on helping to navigate the above would be enormously helpful.

[bednobs]

is it the same person as in this post?
https://www.theanswerbank.co.uk/Law/Question1790101.html
if so, the situation seems more complicated than above as he is already being chased by HMRC for a refund, and i doubt anyone here could advise you better than them?

[Prudie]

I know absolutely nothing about this but as you mention terminology do you mean child benefit? I thought absolutely everybody even millionaires are entitled to get child benefit per child (one payment per household) It doesn't affect tax surely.

[bednobs]

It does prudie. if you earn over 50K, they taper the amount down that you can receive to 0 depending on the income

[Prudie]

Ah so I've just checked and the rules changed in 2013. That's after I was entitled, it certainly used to go to everybody. Learned something today :-)

[Redhelen72]

He needs to contact them and tell them everything before he gets a huge demand.
If he doesn’t live at an address then he shouldn’t be registered there.