Tenant Collecting Housing Benefit Direct

Tenancy Types and Management

I have a tenant who has contacted her housing benefit office and has requested that housing benefit be payed direct to herself rather than me her landlord without my knowledge. I have always collected the housing benefit for her in the past, and she has just payed a top-up, but I have been told she is within her rights to do this.
She has kept the money and is not paying her rent, and have been told that till she is in eight weeks arrears I cannot request the housing benefit be payed back to myself.

What are your views on this.

Regards Julie