These Regulations amend the Housing Benefit Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2006 and the Housing Benefit (Persons who have attained the qualifying age for state pension credit) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2006.

Regulations 2(2) and 3(2) make provision to allow a person to claim housing benefit by telephone where the relevant authority has published a telephone number for the purpose of receiving claims. Paragraph (3) of those regulations makes provision to allow the claimant to amend, by telephone, the claim he made by telephone. Paragraph (4) of those regulations makes provision to allow the claimant to notify a change of circumstances by telephone or by other means.