I saw some of this show years ago, and just picked up Series 4 at the library. I only remember them having 3 kids, but imdb lists the character as Abi Harper and she started 2 years into the show, so where did she come from?
She thinks of Ben and Susan as being her uncle and aunt, but Ben dismisses this with "she's my cousin's daughter, there's not even a word for [that]!"
When Janey left home for university, Susan missed having female company around the house, and coincidentally Abi (who was approcximately Janey's age) had to leave her rented flat, so Susan decided to invite her to stay.