Legal rights to delaying bills

[freeflowwales]

Hi
We had a problem with the council, as they stopped our ESA payment, because of we are in receipt of universal credit after we chased them re council tax rebate.
universal credit was deducting esa and everything was fine, except for universal credit still owes us money in respect of deductions which should not be made re housing cost contribution, as we are exempt. They were happy us claiming esa.
esa was being paid fortnightly and universal credit monthly, we live in Scotland and my question is. now i will suffer cash flow problems until universal credit gets the esa added (increased the amount the deducted )and therefore i will need to pay bills late including water rates and utilities etc.
as this was not my fault but an malicious act from the council, as long as i pay my bills even in arrears eg say 2 month maximum late can anybody do anything through the courts or not because by the time it goes there i will have started paying again even if it is late and I have to send them cheque? Would a court understand and surly, as I am paying again there should be no legal problem to deal with?
The other thing is what is going stop me sorting universal credit is, that my wife is having a major live changing operation (Tumor removal) and that puts a huge expense on our life

Thanks

[Kati]

warwick65 any ideas??

[warwick65]

Sorry i am not really au fait with UC at the moment - maybe once I get involved again when i make a claim on 1st July I will have more experience

[lgfa92]

The initial post is a bit jumbled but states it was a malicious act by the council to stop the ESA, the ESA or UC claim has nothing directly to do with the council (they may be able to pass information on to DWP in some cases if it is relevant bu the actual claim is administered by DWP).

The council will pay Housing Benefit (in some cases) and Council Tax Support but that is the limit of their particular remit.The OP needs to provide more clarity as to what has happened.