Fundraiser launched after son told to pay up £7,300 for dead father's disability grant

Tony Roper agreed to take out an £11,000 grant from Sandwell Council in September 2021 in order to have a stairlift installed in his house in Tipton, as well as to convert his bathroom into a shower room.

The cost of the grant would gradually be worked off over the following decade, or would be cancelled if Mr Roper would "suffer financial hardship" if he were to repay the grant.

The grant would also be cancelled if Mr Roper needed to move properties for the following reasons: to take up or change employment, for physical or mental health reasons, or to live with or near a person who needed care.

Mr Roper died in February, aged 82, and Sandwell Council is now demanding Mr Roper's eldest son, Anthony Roper, pay back £7,300 of the grant.

It comes despite Anthony saying the shower room and stairlift had significant problems rendering them "unusable" for months at a time.

Anthony, from Tividale, said he was his next of kin and the executor of his will, but wasn't told about the grant and that in the last year of his life he wasn't in a fit state of mind.

He said he was furious that he is being forced to pay for the adaptations which did not work for months at a time.

Now, his family have launched a GoFundMe campaign to raise money to pay back the grant and honour Tony's memory.

A message on the fundraising page, set up by Tony's granddaughter Amy Thomas, reads: "These unforeseen expenses, combined with the loss of our dear Tony, have left our family in need of support.

"We have launched this GoFundMe campaign to not only alleviate the financial burden but also to honour Tony's memory and continue his legacy of giving back to our community.

"Your contribution will make a meaningful difference by covering the repayment to Sandwell Council; easing the financial strain on Tony's family and preserving Tony's memory and his remarkable legacy of giving back.

"We kindly ask for your support in the form of a donation, regardless of the amount.

"Your generosity will not only help our family navigate these challenging times but will also ensure that Tony's legacy of compassion and service lives on in our hearts and within the community he loved."

Several donations had already been made within the first few hours of the fundraiser launching on Friday.

People can donate by visiting gofundme.com/f/honoring-tony-roper-veteran-fundraiser

Tony was a veteran fundraiser who raised hundreds of thousands of pounds for Sandwell causes, particularly in Great Bridge and Tipton.

He was the former chairman of Great Bridge Traders Association, was an active member of Great Bridge Lions and Tipton Civic Society, and was named Tiptonian of the Year in 2008.

He also raised money for the upkeep of the Great Bridge lion statues for many years, until he gifted them to Sandwell Council in 2016.

A spokesperson for Sandwell Council said: "We acknowledge the work Mr Roper did for the community and this is greatly appreciated. However, we have a responsibility to apply our policies transparently and fairly to all.

"The circumstances in which we are able to waive repayment conditions related to disabled facilities grants are set out in national legislation, and Mr Roper's family have not provided us with information that shows they meet them.

"It is not possible for us to use our discretion in this instance. We must follow these criteria to be equal in our approach in all cases, particularly as this policy helps to ensure funding for future adaptations is available when needed."

The council claims that the bathroom adaptations were made in March 2022 and that Mr Roper told the council about the issues, which were then addressed in July 2022. They claim to have no record of complaint or issues with the stairlift.