[ad_1]
NEW DELHI: The financial report of King Charles III‘s household revealed a five percent increase in the cost of Britain’s royal family to the UK taxpayers in the past year.
The rising expenditure, which soared to a whopping £107 million last year, has prompted the King to order his staff in the palaces to turn the heating down.
The rise in expenditure was attributed to the transition of power following the death of Queen Elizabeth II in September 2022 and the subsequent ascension of her son Charles to the throne in May this year.
However, the report does not include the expenses incurred for Elizabeth’s funeral and Charles’s coronation.
Major contributors to the increased costs were a 10-year program to upgrade electrical cabling, plumbing, and heating at Buckingham Palace, the official residence of the monarch.
The net expenditure for the year 2022-3 rose by £5.1 million ($6.4 million).
The amount received from the public purse via the Sovereign Grant remained unchanged at £86.3 million for the same period.
While spending on travel decreased by £600,000, bringing it to £3.9 million, housekeeping and hospitality expenses saw an increase from £1.3 million to £2.4 million. On the other hand, property maintenance costs fell by £6.1 million to £57.8 million.
The payroll costs experienced one of the largest annual increases, rising by £3.4 million to £27.1 million, with staff receiving a pay rise of approximately five to six percent.
The report also highlighted the failure of the royal household to meet its diversity target set in 2021, as the percentage of ethnic minority workforce remained at 9.7 percent, the same as the previous year.
The Sovereign Grant, which covers the monarch’s official duties and the upkeep of royal palaces, continued to play a significant role in funding the royal family’s expenses.
The increased royal costs come at a time when the UK is grappling with a cost of living crisis, with inflation reaching 8.7 percent last month.
King Charles III has emphasized sustainability and environmental responsibility, urging the royal household to adopt measures such as reducing heating and lowering energy consumption. The ongoing refit of Buckingham Palace aims to make it a world leader in sustainable energy.
(With inputs from agencies)
The rising expenditure, which soared to a whopping £107 million last year, has prompted the King to order his staff in the palaces to turn the heating down.
The rise in expenditure was attributed to the transition of power following the death of Queen Elizabeth II in September 2022 and the subsequent ascension of her son Charles to the throne in May this year.
However, the report does not include the expenses incurred for Elizabeth’s funeral and Charles’s coronation.
Major contributors to the increased costs were a 10-year program to upgrade electrical cabling, plumbing, and heating at Buckingham Palace, the official residence of the monarch.
The net expenditure for the year 2022-3 rose by £5.1 million ($6.4 million).
The amount received from the public purse via the Sovereign Grant remained unchanged at £86.3 million for the same period.
While spending on travel decreased by £600,000, bringing it to £3.9 million, housekeeping and hospitality expenses saw an increase from £1.3 million to £2.4 million. On the other hand, property maintenance costs fell by £6.1 million to £57.8 million.
The payroll costs experienced one of the largest annual increases, rising by £3.4 million to £27.1 million, with staff receiving a pay rise of approximately five to six percent.
The report also highlighted the failure of the royal household to meet its diversity target set in 2021, as the percentage of ethnic minority workforce remained at 9.7 percent, the same as the previous year.
The Sovereign Grant, which covers the monarch’s official duties and the upkeep of royal palaces, continued to play a significant role in funding the royal family’s expenses.
The increased royal costs come at a time when the UK is grappling with a cost of living crisis, with inflation reaching 8.7 percent last month.
King Charles III has emphasized sustainability and environmental responsibility, urging the royal household to adopt measures such as reducing heating and lowering energy consumption. The ongoing refit of Buckingham Palace aims to make it a world leader in sustainable energy.
(With inputs from agencies)
#King #Charles #III #ordered #staff #turn #heating
