....From my income I can fully support us both....
Louis,

With your DLA you will be exempted from the Financial Requirement income thresholds

To evidence your exemption you must provide the following documents for your wife's application:-

- Official documentation from HMRC confirming the entitlement and the amount received.

- At least one bank statement showing payment of the benefit or allowance into your named account.

Your exemption means that you'll need to provide documentary evidence that you can provide adequate maintainance and and accommodation without recourse to public funds, and without relying on promises of third party support

Simply put in plain English, this means clearly evidencing that, after housing costs have been deducted, there's available to the family the level of gross income that would be available to them if the family was in receipt of income support.

The current (2012/2013) income support level for a couple is £111.45 ( I'm assuming that you not receiving ESA )

Just be sure that you take account of any benefits/payments/discounts etc that you will no longer be entitled if you are no longer living alone.
(eg Your council tax single discount will be lost)
Also that you are very careful about any increased benefits/payments/discounts you may be entitled to because you are living together as a couple.

Remember no recourse to public funds, and no additional public funds solely on the basis of your wife being with you.


....Can they refuse her the visa upon these grounds, especially as I do need her help and support too?....
Louis, personally I would just keep the application as straightforward as possible.

You should try to minimise the risk of any additional scrutiny around the genuineness of relationship.
The UKBA could decide to take negative issue on this subject and it's within the realms of possibility to refuse if they consider the marriage to be a sham in any way

May I ask, does Olivia have any professional connection or qualification either with nursing or as a carer?

No offence intended Louis, just trying to cover all bases.

If you have a specific need to divulge anything to UKBA about this aspect, may I suggest you would be well professional guidance with the application as it would no longer be 'straightforward'

Immigration law has plenty of twists and turns and it's just too serious and costly to make mistakes.