Elderly couple both on AA, get GPC including two SDPs, both have basic SRP above CA level, have not yet applied for underlying entitlement to CA for looking after each other. Daughter, who does not live with them, just given up work to care for them. Best income maximising strategy would be for the couple to apply for underlying CA for each other, and the daughter to apply for IS as providing regular and substantial care for, say, dad. This would mean that dad would be "getting" 35 hrs/wk care from mum, plus regular and substantial care from daughter. Will this work?

The CA regs of course say that where two or more people would be entitled to CA, only one shall be treated as entitled. But would daughter be entitled if she had not applied?

No responses guys, but we've given it a bit more thought here. We can't see any reason why the daughter can't claim IS as providing regular and substantial care of say 30 hrs/wk for dad, while mum and dad claim underlying CA for looking after each other. Although that means mum and daughter are both caring for dad, there are enough hours in the week for them to do this, and mum and daughter would not both be entitled to CA (regs say that would have to make an election) because daughter does not provide 35 hrs/wk care. Sounds too good to be true, and you know what they say.........