Leaking single lever monobloc tap

[arobba]

I've got a generic single lever monobloc mixer tap with shower head attachment in the bathroom (came with the bathroom suite, no identifying markings but i think that it's Italian in origin) & it's leaking from where the lever meets the pillar.

I'm guessing that it's the ceramic cylinder in the body of tap that's buggered so i was trying to get to it to see if i could source a replacement. I've located the grub screw behind the red/blue insert at the front of the tap but, when i remove this, i still can't get the tap apart. I've tried rotating the lever both ways whilst exerting a steady upward pull but no joy even after using a bit of WD40.

Any ideas beyond buying a new tap?

Cheers.

 

[seco services]

It's more likely just stuck on the plastic part of the cartridge once you have removed the grub screw it should just lift off.

 

[arobba]

I'm aware that it should just lift off once the screw is removed but it doesn't: that's kind of the problem...