Britain’s royal family are at the centre of a housing benefits row.
Prince Charles’ Duchy of Cornwall estate and Queen Elizabeth’s Crown Estate received over £200,000 in housing benefit payments for their tenants last year, according to the Daily Mirror newspaper.
The money, paid by local authorities to landlords, has left people angry that the royals are cashing in thanks to the law which benefits private landlords.
The paper estimates that the Crown Estate received a massive £38,539 in housing benefit payments by one council last year, with the Duchy of Cornwall getting £163,000.
Defend Council Housing group are campaigning for a cap on the amount of housing benefit private landlords are allowed.
Spokeswoman Eileen Short said: "Prince Charles was brought up in the biggest council house in Britain, Buckingham Palace.
"We should be regulating the amount of rent we pay to landlords like him and if the Duchy of Cornwall paid its fair share of taxes we could use the money to build new high quality council housing for the benefit of the nation."
A spokesman for the Crown Estate commented: "Our properties are let to a range of tenants including residents who may receive housing benefit. As with any landlord, there are some cases where tenants receive housing benefit and the rent is paid directly by the local authority from the tenant’s benefit to the landlord.
"All of The Crown Estate’s profits are returned to the Treasury each year for the benefit of the nation’s public finances."
British royals ‘cash in’ on housing benefits
