URGENT: Canceling Child Benefit for compliance prior to Naturalisation application (Good character test) AND travelling

[Unwittingapplicant]

I wanted to submit my naturalisation application tomorrow and realised that I ought to have notified HMRC to stop giving me child benefits for my daughter who has been abroad for over 12 weeks (I was entitled to child benefit prior to obtaining ILR under Public funds guidance v14 pg 21 of 62 Exception no.3 as she is a British citizen through her father). I think I will need to refund approx £412.50 (5 months) and am concerned that the HMRC's delay in processing my notification to enable me to refund the overpayment may reflect badly on my record once the caseworker starts to review and process my application (i.e. it may seem like I was deceptive and thus not pass good character judgement even though I notified them once I recognised the issue). I need advice on the two points below:

1. Should I include this in the "other information" section of the application form (i.e. should I state for transparency that I notified HMRC that my daughter is abroad and that HMRC is currently processing this so that I can refund any overpayment. Do they check the whereabouts of dependants you are claiming benefits for? Would they then ask me why my daughter is away with her British dad? She is away with him to allow me to prepare for my professional qualification).

2. I want to travel once I submit my application as I will have a Sabbatical break to prepare for the remaining bits of my professional qualification. Has anyone got any experience with travelling whilst their application is under consideration? My brother will receive any physical correspondence.

3. I have had a clean/straightforward immigration record. I have never overstayed, Icame as a student, then got Post study work visa and have had sponsorship for Tier 2 visas for two separate employers before I got my ILR early last year. Do you think the child benefit issue could jeopardise my application?

Any assistance will be much appreciated

[alterhase58]

1. Child Benefit is administered by the Dept for Work & Pensions (DWP) not HMRC - why do you assume you have to pay back Child Benefit? It is a universal benefit. Child is allowed to be abroad.
2. Yes you can travel.
3. see #1

[Bighto678]

travel make trouble some time as my uncal went on holiday and he faced 5 hour quiz from border force and was not aloud in countrey even he had ilr

[Unwittingapplicant]

Hi, I would need to repay the child benefit as I am entitled to receive it for only 12 weeks after the child goes abroad. That is why I am concerned that they would think I have claimed more benefits than I should receive if they were to check what public funds I’m receiving against the whereabouts of my child who has been out of the country for over 12 weeks.

[alterhase58]

OK but you haven't committed an offence - and just like underpaid tax corrections are made over time. I very much doubt UKVI will calculate how much you were entitled to. By all mean get the numbers straight but it is not something you need to disclose, unless you have been taken to court about this.

[Unwittingapplicant]

Thank you very much for the advice.

Just to clarify, did you say that the UKVI only check info with HMRC for tax/NI purposes and do not check details with DWP?

[alterhase58]

We don't know all the sources they use, but certainly HMRC is a major one because everyone has to provide NI numbers and tax references.