THE Ministry of Defence have been accused of 'insulting' troops after it emerged that more than £4,000 a month is being spent on an army chief to rent a private home in Gerrards Cross.

Eleven brigadiers or higher ranking officers around the country live in large rented properties, with one home in Chelsea costing up to £84,000 of taxpayers money each year.

The wage for a private is about £16,000 a year, and some have condemned the state of homes they are given by the MOD.

Willie Rennie, the Liberal Democrat Defence Spokesperson, obtained the figures and said: "This extravagant living is an insult to the troops who are paid a pittance and given shoddy housing.

"It can't be right that the rent on a brigadier's house is five times the total basic pay of a private.

"Liberal Democrats would increase the wages of our lowest paid troops by cutting back on MOD waste."

An MOD spokesman said the figures for rented properties “look” big, but said high ranking army officers often need big properties to host events and functions.