Yattendon Estate hits back at "ill-informed" housing benefit article

THE Yattendon Estate has hit back at a national newspaper article that incorrectly claimed it received more than £195,000 in housing benefit payments last year.
The Daily Mirror article, which was written based on incorrect figures provided by West Berkshire Council, criticised "wealthy" private landlords who collect money from those in receipt of housing benefit.
The council has since issued a statement "apologising unreservedly" to the Yattendon Estate and sent a letter ensuring that a "rigorous audit" is taking place to establish how it calculated the figure.
The council added that the correct amount was likely to be "substantially less" than £195,000.
A spokesperson for the Yattendon Estate, which is chaired by Lord Iliffe (pictured right), said: "The Daily Mirror article is a politically motivated ill-informed attack, promoted by the GMB union.
"Far from Yattendon Estates Ltd acting as “greedy private landlords living off housing benefit” the Estate offers reduced rents to several tenants who are on housing benefit to enable them to be housed locally.
"The article, using information supplied by West Berkshire Council, suggests that the Estate is getting £195,072 pa in housing benefit from the council and is profiting from hand outs by the tax payer. This has been proved to be incorrect and West Berkshire Council have issued and unreserved apology.
"It is very much to the benefit of the UK that there should be a thriving rental market with good quality housing available to rent.
"It would be a shame if the countryside became the preserve only of those well off enough to fully afford it. By providing housing to those on housing benefits, a mixed rural community can continue to thrive, and country people can remain close to their roots.
"Without private landlords prepared to offer accommodation, many of these people would be without a home."
West Berkshire Council was also forced to apologise to Newbury MP Richard Benyon earlier this week after it released incorrect figures that said it paid more than £625,964 to the Englefield Estate, of which he is a director.
It later admitted the correct figure was £119,237.