The report of Victoria Beckham asking for government funding to pay furloughed staff at her fashion label during coronavirus lockdown has triggered backlash.

Last month, the designer and former singer announced to temporarily close her shop in London in light of government recommendations on coronavirus containment but continued to take online orders. As a result, 30 of her staff members were furloughed.

On April 19, London-based Daily Mail revealed that Victoria Beckham was taking advantage of the government's emergency scheme by asking for a bill of up to 200,000 pounds from taxpayers to pay 80 percent of wages for her staff before the end of June.

Victoria Beckham has a family fortune of 335 million pounds and her husband is a former football star, David Beckham.

The UK TV host Piers Morgan tweeted, "Sorry, but this makes me puke. If you care this much about the NHS (the UK's National Health Service), then why are you taking taxpayer money the NHS desperately needs – and you DON'T need – to furlough you staff and prop up you failing business?" 

Victoria recently shared a video of her husband and their children as the family took part in the nationwide Clap For Carers initiative in honor of NHS workers. 

Following Victoria's recent fashion posts on her Instagram account, a netizen said, "She could be kind ... and pay her poor staff's salaries? Yes, it's not required by law, but it sure would be a nice thing to do given it's a fraction of their personal wealth."

Another netizen criticized Victoria by comparing her with other celebrity entrepreneurs: "The simple fact is that she is using public funds that were intended, and should be utilized for struggling businesses. Most notably – Other celebrities have chosen not to be greedy and take advantage of the government funding. Ed Sheeran and Simon Cowell are funding their employees wages out of their vast fortune."

But there are also some supporters justifying her action.

"By all accounts she pays her taxes probably a lot more than most of us put together. She has every right to claim the furlough money like all the other business who are claiming it," wrote a netizen.

According to the Daily Mail, Victoria's companies have been losing money for four consecutive years. In spite of that, she announced to donate 20 percent of all sales from her fashion label and beauty brand to food bank charities amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Victoria is yet to respond to the criticism.

(Cover image: Designer Victoria Beckham poses for photographers upon arrival at The Fashion Awards 2018 in London, UK, December 10, 2018. /AP)