Hello everyone, I was wondering if someone can shed some light on this query. We have a family consisting of mother, father, and two disabled children who each receive mid/high rate DLA care component.

The mother applied for ICA for looking after one of the children years ago, and was awarded it along with child dependant increases for both of the children.

I've now been asked whether the father could now apply for Carer's Allowance for looking after the other child without the child dependant increases being affected on the mother's ICA claim.


One of my colleagues felt that they would lose one of the additions, similar to the way that you can't claim something like CA yourself if someone is receiving an increase for you.

But my argument is that the person trying to claim the new benefit (the father) is not the person for whom the dependant increase is claimed, therefore surely it should not be affected?

Also, if they were unable to keep the increase if someone claims Carer's allowance for looking after that particular child, surely they wouldn't have been awarded an increase for both children in the first place when the mother was receiving ICA for looking after one of them?

Any help would be much appreciated!
Many thanks
Nicola

My understanding is that the mother would have been awarded the child dependants increase on her ICA claim on the basis that she was receiving child benefit for the two children and that they were living with her.
That doesn't seem to have changed and the father claiming Carers Allowance for looking after one of the children wouldn't alter that. I can see nothing to prevent him claiming CA on what you have told us.