These Regulations make consequential amendments to various pieces of subordinate legislation in connection with welfare reform changes effected by legislation in the United Kingdom Parliament. The majority of the amendments are in consequence of the introduction of new benefits known as personal independence payment (payable under Part 4 of the Welfare Reform Act 2012) and armed forces independence payment (payable under the Armed Forces and Reserve Forces (Compensation Scheme) Order 2011, as amended by the Armed Forces and Reserve Forces (Compensation Scheme) (Amendment) Order 2013).

In addition— there are amendments to legal advice and assistance and civil legal aid instruments to reflect the ending of discretionary payments out of the social fund (which operated under the Social Security Contributions and Benefits Act 1992) and the creation of the Scottish Welfare Fund (regulations 4(2), (3)(a) and (4)(a) and 7(2), (3)(a), (4)(a) and (5)); the National Health Service (Travelling Expenses and Remission of Charges) (Scotland) (No. 2) Regulations 2003 are amended to ensure dependants of universal credit recipients are remitted from health charges (regulation 9(2) and (3)).