Commentary on provisions of Act Section 20: Consequential amendments
This section makes consequential amendments to certain provisions which concern the payment of support for mortgage interest as a benefit.
	Subsections (1) and (11) repeal certain provisions relating to the payment of support for mortgage interest direct to lenders out of a claimant’s entitlement to a relevant benefit. Payment of support for mortgage interest loans will instead be paid direct to lenders pursuant to provision made under section 19(4) of the Act.
	Subsection (2) amends section 170 of the Social Security Administration Act 1992 so that regulations relating to support for mortgage interest loans are referred to the Social Security Advisory Committee for consideration.
	Subsections (3) to (7) make amendments to certain rules in the Social Security Act 1998 which concern decision-making and appeals so that the rules apply to decisions about loans in the same way as they apply to decisions about benefits.
	Subsections (8) and (9) amend section 3A(5)(a) of the State Pension Credit Act 2002 and section 11(3)(a) of the Welfare Reform Act 2012 respectively, which concern the meaning of "payments in respect of accommodation", by omitting the reference to mortgage payments. This is because mortgage payments will no longer be paid as part of a claimant’s award of universal credit or pension credit, and will instead be offered as a loan under section 18(1) of the Act.
	Subsection (10) amends section 131 of the Welfare Reform Act 2012 to allow the Department to supply information about support for mortgage interest loans to persons who are concerned with the provision of welfare services. This will ensure that claimants of support for mortgage interest loans can access certain "passported" benefits in the same way as they can under the current scheme.