Victoria Beckham is facing criticism after the former Spice Girls singer’s fashion company furloughed approximately 30 staff members amid the coronavirus pandemic. In a statement, a spokesperson for Beckham confirmed that those staff members will be furloughed for at least two months on “an enhanced package”” That “enhanced package,” according to the Daily Mail, will utilize the government’s job retention scheme, which will allow them to be paid 80 percent of their typical salary. Beckham will pay the remaining 20 percent herself.
“Like many, Victoria has reluctantly had to furlough staff members. It wasn’t a decision she took lightly but, for the long-term stability and profitability of the company, it had to be done,” a source confirmed to The Sun. “She has been personally keeping all her team involved with emails the whole way through, and has put all of the staff involved on enhanced furlough packages. She has even forgone her own salary in order to lead from the front.”
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Although Beckham is reportedly opting to forego her own salary and her furloughed staff members will still be receiving an income, many people took issue with Beckham’s decision to utilize the government’s job retention scheme. Many slammed her for taking advantage of the taxpayer-funded scheme, instead believing that she should be using her own wealth to pay her staff. Many also pointed to the combined net worth of both Beckham and her husband, David Beckham, and the fact that they recently purchased a $24 million condo in Miami. Keep scrolling to see how social media is reacting to the announcement.
Victoria Beckham, who’s personal handbag collection is worth £1.5m and who is valued with husband David at £335m, is billing taxpayer to furlough her 30 fashion company staff. How does she sleep at night?
— Andrew Pierce (@toryboypierce) April 19, 2020
Where does Victoria Beckham – with her family fortune of £350m – get the brass neck to furlough the 30 staff at her fashion label? Just 2 weeks ago she and Becks bought a £17M penthouse in Miami. Yet she wants British taxpayers to pay her staff. How bloody dare she?
— Carole Malone (@thecarolemalone) April 19, 2020
Victoria Beckham, along with her husband, have a combined wealth of £335 million yet she has used @RishiSunak’s furlough scheme to pay her staff, therefore taking taxpayers’ money. What do we think of this? In tomorrow’s Mail on Sunday #buyapaper pic.twitter.com/olVY6PyG0k
— Katie Hind (@katiehind) April 18, 2020
The Beckhams have a combined wealth of £335m but #VictoriaBeckham furloughed 30 employees. If you can spend £31m on an apartment in Miami & have a £1.5m handbag collection then you certainly can afford to pay 30 people. Absolutely disgraceful
— amit sohal (@amitsinghsohal) April 19, 2020
Next up, assholes of the day are #Victoriabeckham and #davidbeckham with a combined net worth of roughly £700 million have furloughed 30 staff of Victoria’s fashion line….on the government. Fuck me. The greed and audacity of these people.
— Laura Nadia Hunt (@LauraNadiaHunt) April 19, 2020
When I seen Victoria Beckham trending I was expecting it to say she’s got Covid19 but nah she’s making the government pay her staff despite her net worth of £335million, just like all the other Millionaires in this country doing the same but won’t spend a penny on their staff
— 𝒲𝒾𝓁𝓁𝒾𝒶𝓂 ♛ (@W1LL1AMRFC) April 19, 2020
Buoyed by the news that we will now be paying the wages of 30 staff working for Victoria Beckham’s fashion business – a business/hobby/tax write-off that has made losses in every one of its 12 years.
— Jon Wilson (@jonnywils) April 19, 2020
She bought a £17m property in Miami a couple of weeks ago.
It appears that when people make a lot of money, they will do anything to hang on to it, Victoria Beckham, Phillip Green, Richard Branson – they all disgust me – in these extremely tough times, they still have their hand in tax payers back pockets…
— RAJ LYALL-UP FOR A LAUGH, JOKES VIDEOS MEMES (@lyall_raj) April 19, 2020
This morning. News that #VictoriaBeckham worth £335m furloughed her staff in the same month she & her hubby bought a $24m penthouse floor. Below, a Spanish taxi driver being thanked for taking patients to hospital for free. Never forget the real helpers were during this crisis. https://t.co/dUSW8gsJWD
— Cycle Mummy (@CycleMummy) April 19, 2020
#VictoriaBeckham is trending because of using #FurloughScheme
— Katieeeeeee…. #StayAtHomeSavesLives (@itskatiebon) April 19, 2020
I’m betting shes not the only #Millionaire to do this……shame them all, not just one. #TheTimes should do a top 100 list of Millionaire tossers. pic.twitter.com/UDbCi8qzEr
Sorry, but this makes me puke. If you care this much about the NHS, @victoriabeckham – then why are you taking taxpayer money the NHS desperately needs – and you DON’T need – to furlough your staff & prop up your failing business? https://t.co/pTVaODxk5V
— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) April 19, 2020
I saw #VictoriaBeckham trending and thought ‘blimey she has got the virus’ but, no, she is showing how the rich get richer by taking not giving. I bet she clapped for the NHS as well.
— Mark Batchelor (@markbatchelor72) April 19, 2020
My sisters boss owns a small pub/restaurant. He is paying them in full. He is paying them out of his own money. I know he can bareley afford it. Then you have the likes of Victoria Beckham! People like her disgust me to my core.
— OldTimeCarpenter (@TimeCarpenter) April 19, 2020
Victoria Beckham with a wealth of over £350 million has put 30 of her fashion range staff on furloughed pay using tax payers money.
— The Tears of a Clown (@Modmuffin) April 19, 2020
When I found out I was speechless, a bit like when she was “singing” in the Spice Girls…
