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Melvin Sequeira says the council has stopped giving any subsidies for courses undertaken by pensioners on the grounds it is now unlawful under recently introduced Age Discrimination legislations.

鈥淎 large number of older people will be denied an active life-style through the withdrawal of these subsidies.听 Why should they be penalised after having spent all their lives paying their taxes and getting this benefit 鈥� I do not believe this is the intention of the law鈥�, argues Melvin.

鈥淭he older people are being hammered through no fault of their own鈥�.听听

According to Melvin, many of his friends who were thinking of taking on some form of training have now decided not to go ahead.

Having tried unsuccessfully over a number of weeks to get someone from Croydon council to speak me, I was eventually sent this statement.听

鈥淚n the light of new Age Discrimination legislation which came into affect last year, Adult Education in Croydon is no longer able to offer concessionary rates for adult learners over the age of 60 who are not in receipt of means tested benefits.听 We have been advised that all adult learners should be treated equally.鈥�

But this interpretation is incorrect argues the National Pensioners' Convention (NPC) but the National Institute for Adult Continuing Education (NIACE) insist the law is correct.听

Steven McNair, NIACE

the law

Steven McNair is a spokesperson for NIACE.听 He says:听 鈥淭he Age Discrimination law say that rich 61-year-olds shouldn鈥檛 be treated more generously than a poor 59 year old.

鈥淚t鈥檚 as wrong to discriminate on the grounds of age, as it is on the grounds of sex or race, " argues Steven.

Whilst this may be correct, with the number of older people taking up further education on the decline, campaigners are fearful this latest interpretation of the law will only exacerbate the situation.

What are your views?听 Has this put you off taking up further education, or do you think it is perfectly fair?听

Let me have your views.听听 Email evadney.campbell@bbc.co.uk