This order amends the Rent Officers (Housing Benefit Functions) Order 1997 (“the Rent Officers Order”) and the Rent Officers (Housing Benefit Functions) (Scotland) Order 1997 (the Rent Officers (Scotland) Order”) which confer functions on rent officers in connection with housing benefit and rent allowance subsidy. The amendments provide that that the new arrangements for rent officer determinations introduced by the Rent Officers (Housing Benefit Functions) (Local Housing Allowance) Amendment Order 2003 for the areas of specified local authorities (“pathfinder authorities”) will apply in the areas of 9 additional local authorities which will become pathfinder authorities.