Direct Payments

I am trying to have the Housing Benefits that I receive paid directly to my Housing Association, the message on my Universal account responding with the following:

Hello,Universal Credit cannot create the direct payment unless it comes from your landlord. Please contact your landlord and request that they contact universal credit through the landlord portal to request we pay your rent directly to them

When I requested that my Housing Association do just this my Housing Support Officer told me I needed to request this from my local council even though I receive Universal Credit via my online Universal Credit account & not through my local council.

Perhaps people on here who have their Housing Benefit paid directly to their landlord/Housing Association could tell me who is correct?