Question
Whether the rules of the financial assistance scheme will comply with age discrimination legislation.
Answer
The European Employment Directive (Council Directive 2000/78) outlaws discrimination on a number of grounds including age in relation to employment and vocational training. The age discrimination provision must be implemented by 2 December 2006. The directive does not apply to the financial assistance scheme since it does not apply to payments of any kind made by state schemes or similar, including state social security or social protection schemes.