Paragraph 6 of Schedule 8B to the Social Security (Claims and Payments) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1987 and paragraph 9(2) of Schedule 4 to the Universal Credit, Personal Independence Payment, Jobseeker’s Allowance and Employment and Support Allowance (Claims and Payments) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2016 prescribe the fee payable by qualifying lenders for the purpose of defraying administrative expenses incurred by the Department for Communities in making payments in respect of mortgage interest direct to those lenders.

Regulations 2 and 3 amend those provisions by decreasing from £0∙44 to £0∙39 the fee which qualifying lenders pay.

Regulation 4 makes a consequential revocation.

These Regulations make in relation to Northern Ireland only provision corresponding to provision contained in Regulations made by the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions in relation to Great Britain and accordingly, by virtue of section 149(3) of, and paragraph 10 of Schedule 5 to, the Social Security Administration (Northern Ireland) Act 1992, are not subject to the requirement of section 149(2) of that Act for prior reference to the Social Security Advisory Committee.