Do people who live in England who are disabled receive Disability income?

If 2 people are claiming DLA then can they claim Carer's Allowance for each other?

• Hello... Is it true that if 2 people are claiming DLA then can they claim Carer's Allowance for each other? Here is a story I got from a Benefit's web site... ------------------- (((Chrissy and Clive))) Chrissy is 20, single, disabled and currently lives with her parents. She claims no-contribution incapacity benefit and disability living allowance only. Clive is 22, single, disabled and also currently lives with his parents. His benefits are identical to Chrissy’s. He claims no-contribution incapacity benefit and disability living allowance only. Clive and Chrissy want to get married and live together in a housing association property they have been offered. They will be responsible for rent and council tax and will be able to care for each other. When they set up home together, Clive and Chrissy will become entitled to income support because their income and capital are below the required limits. They will have their combined incapacity benefits topped up by income support which will include the severe disability premium and enhanced disability premium for both of them because no one else will live in their new household and no one currently gets carer’s allowance for looking after either of them. Their disability living allowance is paid on top of their income support entitlement. Chrissy and Clive should each claim carer’s allowance for looking after the other. The usual rule is that if you claim carer’s allowance for looking after someone, the person cared for cannot get the severe disability premium. However, the overlapping benefit rules mean that you cannot be paid the full amount of carer’s allowance at the same time as receiving the full amount of entitlement to some other benefits such as incapacity benefit. Where this happens, you are said to have an ‘underlying entitlement’. This underlying entitlement to carer’s allowance means that Chrissy and Clive can receive two carer premiums and two severe disability premiums within their claim for income support. ------------------- So say if one person was to receive Incapacity Benefit and another Income Support plus both claiming Middle Rate Care DLA and Low Rate Mobility DLA. Then could they both claim Carer's Allowance for each other? It states that it is called... ‘underlying entitlement’. "This underlying entitlement to carer’s allowance means that Chrissy and Clive can receive two carer premiums and two severe disability premiums within their claim for income support." Is this true? That if 2 people moved in together they could both claim Income Support AND Carer's Allowance even though they'd actually be getting the Carer's Premium as well as getting DLA. Thank you. [Mis Ery]

• Answer:

  As usual with benefits it is all very complicated. Logically, someone would be paid CA if the person they are caring for can not look after themselves. So if Clive is paid to care for Chrissy that means that Chrissy is unable to look after herself. If that is the case, how can she be capable of caring for Clive. I suspect that it is not that simple and the type and level of disability of both people will be relevant. The only people who can answer this question for you are either your local Job Centre or Citizens Advice Bureau.