Planet Rugby Forum

ROYAL husband Mike Tindall has been claiming furlough cash for his business even though he is reportedly worth more than £15million.

The ex-England rugby star, 42 — married to the Queen’s grand-daughter Zara — sought government aid for the firm which manages his speaking engagements after they dried up.

Last year the England World Cup winner was named the globe’s fourth-richest rugby player — worth an estimated £15.7million — by Ruck magazine.

Accounts for his firm Kimble Trading Ltd, filed in December, state: “The outbreak of Covid-19 and subsequent restrictions imposed have led to a number of events in 2020 being cancelled.

“The company has taken advantage of all available government aid in order to support the business and its employees through the crisis.”

According to the accounts, the company has only one member of staff — believed to be Tindall himself.

It also appears on a government list of firms using the furlough scheme, which pays 80 per cent of a worker’s salary.

Tory MP Nigel Mills said: “It’s a bit rich for Mike Tindall to be taking money from the public purse.”

Tindall’s business accounts are published every year. Forensic accountant Steve Hale, of Perrys, examined them for The Sun.

He said: “Under normal circumstances, Mike Tindall appears to make most of his money through share dividends and interest-free loans from his company. Over the years he has ‘borrowed’ nearly £330,000, and every year he adds to this ‘debt’.

“It’s a way of taking money out of the business while paying less tax in the short term.

“He will also pay himself a small salary — small enough that he won’t have to pay National Insurance on it, probably around £730 a month.

nardol wrote: ↑Tue Feb 09, 2021 12:50 pm i would do it too in same situation


that said its fking rediculous that people of their wealth are eligible for these payments

nardol wrote: ↑Tue Feb 09, 2021 12:50 pm i would do it too in same situation


that said its fking rediculous that people of their wealth are eligible for these payments

The Sun God wrote: ↑Tue Feb 09, 2021 12:47 pm I have met his Missus a few times, a very nice girl and a bit of craic.

O'Driscol has done the same thing in Ireland with the Covid payment.... no big deal really.

Ulsters Red Hand wrote: ↑Tue Feb 09, 2021 1:09 pm He/we will all be paying it back in tax for years to come anyway (and he'll be paying more than most) so why not?

nardol wrote: ↑Tue Feb 09, 2021 1:14 pm

Ulsters Red Hand wrote: ↑Tue Feb 09, 2021 1:09 pm He/we will all be paying it back in tax for years to come anyway (and he'll be paying more than most) so why not?

he pays no national insurance and takes payment as a loan to reduce tax bill

Nothing wrong with it but to say he will pay it all back..... I don't know....

whats to say he will remain tax resident?

bimboman wrote: ↑Tue Feb 09, 2021 1:05 pm Erm, plenty of wealthy businesses claimed furlough for their staff, it would have been advised to treat the company as normal and that would mean claiming furlough.

The Sun God wrote: ↑Tue Feb 09, 2021 12:47 pm I have met his Missus a few times, a very nice girl and a bit of craic.

O'Driscol has done the same thing in Ireland with the Covid payment.... no big deal really.

eldanielfire wrote: ↑Tue Feb 09, 2021 1:19 pm

bimboman wrote: ↑Tue Feb 09, 2021 1:05 pm Erm, plenty of wealthy businesses claimed furlough for their staff, it would have been advised to treat the company as normal and that would mean claiming furlough.

Plenty of businesses have decided not to. Andrew Neil said he has returned all the furlough payments to Spectator staff as has the Telegraph.

bimboman wrote: ↑Tue Feb 09, 2021 1:22 pm

eldanielfire wrote: ↑Tue Feb 09, 2021 1:19 pm

bimboman wrote: ↑Tue Feb 09, 2021 1:05 pm Erm, plenty of wealthy businesses claimed furlough for their staff, it would have been advised to treat the company as normal and that would mean claiming furlough.

Plenty of businesses have decided not to. Andrew Neil said he has returned all the furlough payments to Spectator staff as has the Telegraph.

Then their staff were fully employed. Furloughed staff cannot work.

bimboman wrote: ↑Tue Feb 09, 2021 1:22 pm

eldanielfire wrote: ↑Tue Feb 09, 2021 1:19 pm

bimboman wrote: ↑Tue Feb 09, 2021 1:05 pm Erm, plenty of wealthy businesses claimed furlough for their staff, it would have been advised to treat the company as normal and that would mean claiming furlough.

Plenty of businesses have decided not to. Andrew Neil said he has returned all the furlough payments to Spectator staff as has the Telegraph.

Then their staff were fully employed. Furloughed staff cannot work.

Anonymous 1 wrote: ↑Tue Feb 09, 2021 1:32 pm

bimboman wrote: ↑Tue Feb 09, 2021 1:22 pm

eldanielfire wrote: ↑Tue Feb 09, 2021 1:19 pm

bimboman wrote: ↑Tue Feb 09, 2021 1:05 pm Erm, plenty of wealthy businesses claimed furlough for their staff, it would have been advised to treat the company as normal and that would mean claiming furlough.

Plenty of businesses have decided not to. Andrew Neil said he has returned all the furlough payments to Spectator staff as has the Telegraph.

Then their staff were fully employed. Furloughed staff cannot work.

It means they applied for and received furlough payments because there was no work for those staff members. However they thought better of it and returned the money and paid them out of their own funds.

shereblue wrote: ↑Tue Feb 09, 2021 1:26 pm Typical Planet Rugby clickbait.

Nothing to do with Tindall. His accountants arrange his taxes like they do for any sensible person and claim benefits on offer. No hint of an artificial tax avoidance scheme in sight.

There's been no bribery or corruption or "donation" or even risk-taking greed. Let alone off shore planning or evasion.

Interesting to see some Tory types who've licked the arses of Dyson, Ratcliffe, Martin and the like now suddenly showing themselves to be envious lefties and so woke thay would apparently decline non-means-tested handouts such as child benefit, formerly free TV licences, winter fuel allowances, disability benefit etc, etc.

They like Tory nationalism though, oh yes and putting the boot into the genuinely poor. Questions to Sunak.

Anonymous 1 wrote: ↑Tue Feb 09, 2021 1:32 pm

bimboman wrote: ↑Tue Feb 09, 2021 1:22 pm

eldanielfire wrote: ↑Tue Feb 09, 2021 1:19 pm

bimboman wrote: ↑Tue Feb 09, 2021 1:05 pm Erm, plenty of wealthy businesses claimed furlough for their staff, it would have been advised to treat the company as normal and that would mean claiming furlough.

Plenty of businesses have decided not to. Andrew Neil said he has returned all the furlough payments to Spectator staff as has the Telegraph.

Then their staff were fully employed. Furloughed staff cannot work.

It means they applied for and received furlough payments because there was no work for those staff members. However they thought better of it and returned the money and paid them out of their own funds.

bimboman wrote: ↑Tue Feb 09, 2021 1:35 pm

Anonymous 1 wrote: ↑Tue Feb 09, 2021 1:32 pm

bimboman wrote: ↑Tue Feb 09, 2021 1:22 pm

eldanielfire wrote: ↑Tue Feb 09, 2021 1:19 pm

bimboman wrote: ↑Tue Feb 09, 2021 1:05 pm Erm, plenty of wealthy businesses claimed furlough for their staff, it would have been advised to treat the company as normal and that would mean claiming furlough.

Plenty of businesses have decided not to. Andrew Neil said he has returned all the furlough payments to Spectator staff as has the Telegraph.

Then their staff were fully employed. Furloughed staff cannot work.

It means they applied for and received furlough payments because there was no work for those staff members. However they thought better of it and returned the money and paid them out of their own funds.

And they worked.

inactionman wrote: ↑Tue Feb 09, 2021 1:56 pm I did the same - self-employed through my own limited company and was binned at start of pandemic - I claimed less than £500 a month as my salary was small, most of my earnings are dividends depending upon how well I do in a given year. Looks like that is what Tindall would have got as well. Not sure what he's up to with the loan thing, my accountant advised me to do this for e.g. a car purchase but not to stretch it too far - report indicate he's still got £330k outstanding, which I'd say is taking the piss.

Can't believe he earns a huge amount through speaking - unless he's some raconteur VIP on the after-dinner circuit - and that's sure as hell gone to shite with lockdown.

Whether he needs to do it with the inherited wealth - which is where I'd assume the £15m figure comes from - is a separate question.

CrazyIslander wrote: ↑Tue Feb 09, 2021 2:17 pm I like Mike.
Didnt he leave Bath for Gloucester for just an extra $30k? Anyway, he's hit the jackpot marrying Zara.

Duff Paddy wrote: ↑Tue Feb 09, 2021 2:23 pm

inactionman wrote: ↑Tue Feb 09, 2021 1:56 pm I did the same - self-employed through my own limited company and was binned at start of pandemic - I claimed less than £500 a month as my salary was small, most of my earnings are dividends depending upon how well I do in a given year. Looks like that is what Tindall would have got as well. Not sure what he's up to with the loan thing, my accountant advised me to do this for e.g. a car purchase but not to stretch it too far - report indicate he's still got £330k outstanding, which I'd say is taking the piss.

Can't believe he earns a huge amount through speaking - unless he's some raconteur VIP on the after-dinner circuit - and that's sure as hell gone to shite with lockdown.

Whether he needs to do it with the inherited wealth - which is where I'd assume the £15m figure comes from - is a separate question.

They sometimes allude to some fairly elitist stuff he gets up on TGTBTR podcast - he is probably doing a fair bit of highly paid top corporate stuff

Sefton wrote: ↑Tue Feb 09, 2021 2:27 pm

Leinster in London wrote: ↑Tue Feb 09, 2021 2:09 pm If he pays himself the minimum, £732/m, then that is his furlough money.

A few years ago I worked down the corridor from the office of a motivational speaker, an ex rower.
He actually had five or six others working for him. I could understand one or two, taking bookings, doing secretarial work, and doing accounts. I never quite understood how he kept the others busy.
Anyway, If Tindell's office is of a similar size, it would not be surprising if two thirds of this staff were put into the scheme.
Have the reporters tried to twist money he pays to his staff as money he is paying himself?

According to the accounts, the company has only one member of staff

eldanielfire wrote: ↑Tue Feb 09, 2021 1:36 pm

shereblue wrote: ↑Tue Feb 09, 2021 1:26 pm Typical Planet Rugby clickbait.

Nothing to do with Tindall. His accountants arrange his taxes like they do for any sensible person and claim benefits on offer. No hint of an artificial tax avoidance scheme in sight.

There's been no bribery or corruption or "donation" or even risk-taking greed. Let alone off shore planning or evasion.

But no one has claimed this at all.

Interesting to see some Tory types who've licked the arses of Dyson, Ratcliffe, Martin and the like now suddenly showing themselves to be envious lefties and so woke thay would apparently decline non-means-tested handouts such as child benefit, formerly free TV licences, winter fuel allowances, disability benefit etc, etc.

They like Tory nationalism though, oh yes and putting the boot into the genuinely poor. Questions to Sunak.

What Tories here has licked the arse off Dyson for his tax/financial arrangement then? Or ever gave credit to Martin who last I read here was roundly condemned for being a c#nt to his employers by everyone here and everyone else.

Duff Paddy wrote: ↑Tue Feb 09, 2021 2:20 pm Fair enough for me, he just has a good accountant. Blame the politicians who allowed it.

shereblue wrote: ↑Tue Feb 09, 2021 2:43 pm

eldanielfire wrote: ↑Tue Feb 09, 2021 1:36 pm

shereblue wrote: ↑Tue Feb 09, 2021 1:26 pm Typical Planet Rugby clickbait.

Nothing to do with Tindall. His accountants arrange his taxes like they do for any sensible person and claim benefits on offer. No hint of an artificial tax avoidance scheme in sight.

There's been no bribery or corruption or "donation" or even risk-taking greed. Let alone off shore planning or evasion.

But no one has claimed this at all.

Interesting to see some Tory types who've licked the arses of Dyson, Ratcliffe, Martin and the like now suddenly showing themselves to be envious lefties and so woke thay would apparently decline non-means-tested handouts such as child benefit, formerly free TV licences, winter fuel allowances, disability benefit etc, etc.

They like Tory nationalism though, oh yes and putting the boot into the genuinely poor. Questions to Sunak.

What Tories here has licked the arse off Dyson for his tax/financial arrangement then? Or ever gave credit to Martin who last I read here was roundly condemned for being a c#nt to his employers by everyone here and everyone else.

Pick me up on the rant part of my post by all means.

Tindall's been called a dick, a prick and so on. Don't recall which particular adjective you used but there's been no wrong doing alleged, so perhaps you should explain why you directed your own insult at Mike Tindall?

I didn't see anything deserving of an insult.

If you think Sunak has spaffed resources up the wall, then that's a different question.

bimboman wrote: ↑Tue Feb 09, 2021 2:50 pm

Duff Paddy wrote: ↑Tue Feb 09, 2021 2:20 pm Fair enough for me, he just has a good accountant. Blame the politicians who allowed it.

Administration of means testing would cost more than it saves.

inactionman wrote: ↑Tue Feb 09, 2021 3:09 pm

bimboman wrote: ↑Tue Feb 09, 2021 2:50 pm

Duff Paddy wrote: ↑Tue Feb 09, 2021 2:20 pm Fair enough for me, he just has a good accountant. Blame the politicians who allowed it.

Administration of means testing would cost more than it saves.

Aye, although I'm gritting my teeth at some of the tales of fraud I'd prefer people who need help get it quickly, even if some take advantage, rather than delay too long. Part of the point of furlough pay is to disincentivise people from going to work, so no point waiting until they're in such financial dire straits they need to go to work before looking to help.

Didn't NZ do a blanket grant for their lockdown, or am I misremembering? (I'd google if I could be botrhered)

eldanielfire wrote: ↑Tue Feb 09, 2021 3:03 pm

shereblue wrote: ↑Tue Feb 09, 2021 2:43 pm

eldanielfire wrote: ↑Tue Feb 09, 2021 1:36 pm

shereblue wrote: ↑Tue Feb 09, 2021 1:26 pm Typical Planet Rugby clickbait.

Nothing to do with Tindall. His accountants arrange his taxes like they do for any sensible person and claim benefits on offer. No hint of an artificial tax avoidance scheme in sight.

There's been no bribery or corruption or "donation" or even risk-taking greed. Let alone off shore planning or evasion.

But no one has claimed this at all.

Interesting to see some Tory types who've licked the arses of Dyson, Ratcliffe, Martin and the like now suddenly showing themselves to be envious lefties and so woke thay would apparently decline non-means-tested handouts such as child benefit, formerly free TV licences, winter fuel allowances, disability benefit etc, etc.

They like Tory nationalism though, oh yes and putting the boot into the genuinely poor. Questions to Sunak.

What Tories here has licked the arse off Dyson for his tax/financial arrangement then? Or ever gave credit to Martin who last I read here was roundly condemned for being a c#nt to his employers by everyone here and everyone else.

Pick me up on the rant part of my post by all means.

Tindall's been called a dick, a prick and so on. Don't recall which particular adjective you used but there's been no wrong doing alleged, so perhaps you should explain why you directed your own insult at Mike Tindall?

I didn't see anything deserving of an insult.

If you think Sunak has spaffed resources up the wall, then that's a different question.

No one has said Tindall broke any laws or dodged anything. But it still stinks reeks of a sense of unfairness in a moral sense when millionaires penny pinch of government handouts for private gain. Most posters here find it emotionally repulsive on principle, but for some reason you suddenly burst in and make it all about politics for literally no reason.

You seemed to have a bee in your bonnet for taking aim at Tories. listing all kinds of irrelevant policies. I mean people can think morally Furlough shouldn't be used by the rich and think child benefit shouldn't be as well. That doesn't make you switch to a leftie or a hypocrite.

What's more you seem to be inventing those positions people have supposed to have taken. I mean since when have people criticizing Tindal ever been against Child Benefit bein means tested so the people in most need get it? You seem to be making up imaginary arguments.

DragsterDriver wrote: ↑Tue Feb 09, 2021 6:58 pm Just because you can, doesn’t mean you should. Obviously he has no social conscience, which is entirely his choice, but makes him a prick.