Explanatory note

These Regulations amend the National Health Service (General Ophthalmic Services) Regulations 1986 (1986/975) (“the 1986 Regulations”), the National Health Service (Optical Charges and Payments) Regulations 1997 (1997/818) (“the 1997 Regulations”) and the National Health Service (Travelling Expenses and Remission of Charges) (Wales) Regulations 2007 (2007/1104 (W.116)) (“the 2007 Regulations”).

Regulations 3 and 4 make amendments to the 1986 Regulations consequential upon the introduction of universal credit by the Welfare Reform Act 2012 (2012 c. 5) (“the 2012 Act”).

Regulations 5 and 6 make amendments to the 1997 Regulations consequential upon the introduction of universal credit by the 2012 Act.

Regulations 7 and 8 make amendments to the 2007 Regulations consequential upon the introduction of universal credit by the 2012 Act, the abolition of council tax benefit, the introduction of personal independence payment by the 2012 Act and the introduction of the armed forces independence payment by the Armed Forces and Reserve Forces (Compensation Scheme) Order 2011 (2011/517).

The Welsh Ministers' Code of Practice on the carrying out of Regulatory Impact Assessments was considered in relation to these Regulations. As a result, it was not considered necessary to carry out a regulatory impact assessment as to the likely costs and benefits of complying with these Regulations.