Highland Council service arrangements over festive period 2023/2024
The Service Centre will close at 4pm on 22 December, re-opening on 27, 28 and 29 December (opening times 10am to 4pm). It will be closed on 1 and 2 January and open 8am to 5pm from 3 January 2024.
Service Points will close at 4pm on 22 December, operating their normal hours 27, 28, and 29 December. They are closed 1 and 2 January and open on 3 January 2024. Opening hours differ depending on location. Find the details for your local Service Point at this link (external link) on our website.
Inverness Registration Office will close at 4pm on 22 December. Staff will be available by appointment only on 27, 28, and 29 December (10am to 4pm). It will be closed 1 and 2 January and will reopen for appointments from 9am on 3 January 2024.
Urgent death registration appointments will also be available on 27, 28 and 29 December at various offices across Highland, please contact your local Funeral Director who will advise.
Online services
Contact the Council anytime online to report a problem, ask for something or make a payment:
Recycling Centres and Bin Collections
If your normal collection day is Monday 25 December 2023, Monday 1 January 2024 or Tuesday 2 January 2024, you have a different collection day over the festive period.
Badenoch and Strathspey
- Monday 25 December will be collected between Tuesday 26 and Saturday 30 December: leave your bin out until it is emptied
- Monday 1 January 2024 and Tuesday 2 January 2024 will be collected between Wednesday 3 and Sunday 7 January 2024: leave your bin out until it is emptied
Caithness
- Monday 25 December will be collected on Saturday 23 December
- Monday 1 January 2024 will be collected on Saturday 30 December
- Tuesday 2 January 2024 will be collected Saturday 6 January 2024
Inverness
- Monday 25 December will be collected between Tuesday 26 and Saturday 30 December: leave your bin out until it is emptied
- Monday 1 January 2024 and Tuesday 2 January 2024 will be collected between Wednesday 3 and Sunday 7 January 2024: leave your bin out until it is emptied
Lochaber
- Monday 25 December will be collected between Tuesday 26 and Saturday 30 December: leave your bin out until it is emptied
- Monday 1 January 2024 and Tuesday 2 January 2024 will be collected between Wednesday 3 and Sunday 7 January 2024: leave your bin out until it is emptied
Nairn
- Monday 25 December will be collected between Tuesday 26 and Saturday 30 December: leave your bin out until it is emptied
- Monday 1 January 2024 and Tuesday 2 January 2024 will be collected between Wednesday 3 and Sunday 7 January 2024: leave your bin out until it is emptied
Ross and Cromarty
- variable collection days, see your Christmas collection sticker on your bin
Skye and Lochalsh
- Monday 25 December will be collected on Saturday 23 December
- Monday 1 January 2024 will be collected on Saturday 30 December
- Tuesday 2 January 2024 normal collections
Sutherland
- Monday 25 December will be collected on Saturday 23 December
- Monday 1 January 2024 will be collected on Saturday 30 December
- Tuesday 2 January 2024 will be collected Saturday 6 January 2024
View all details on our website
All Household Waste Recycling Centres are closed on the 25 and 26 December and 1 and 2 January
For info on recycling centres visit www.highland.gov.uk/recyclingcentres
For 2023 bin calendars visit www.highland.gov.uk/bincalendars
Handy numbers in the event of an emergency
In an emergency dial 999 for the police, fire and ambulance service.
- For non-emergencies, you can contact the police on 101 and the fire service on
01382 835804
Highland Council emergency out of hours phone numbers
- Social Work Out of Hours Team - call
0808 175 3646 - Emergency house repairs, homelessness, and public building emergencies - call
01349 886691 - Roads, parks, flooding, and street lighting - call
01349 886690
Other emergency contacts
Trunk road maintenance
BEAR Scotland (Northeast)- 0800 028 1414
https://www.bearscot.com/report-a-defect/
Amey (Northeast) - 08000 830 084
https://netrunkroads.scot/report-a-problem/
Other numbers
- Gas Freephone -
0800 111 999 - NHS 24 - Call free on 111 if you are ill and it can't wait until your regular NHS service reopens
- Police Scotland – 101 (for all services)
- Scottish Fire and Rescue Service - 01382 835804 (24 hours)
- Scottish and Southern Electric Freephone -
0800 300 999 - Scottish Water - 0800 0778 778 (24 hours)
- SEPA Floodline -
0345 988 1188 - SEPA Pollution hotline – 0800 807060 (24 hours)
Remember the importance of reaching out for help if this is needed over the festive period. If you or someone else is experiencing mental distress and you are worried about your own or someone else's immediate safety:
- Call 999 or go straight to A+E immediately. If you are calling for someone else, try to establish the person’s, name, contact details and location
If the crisis is not life-threatening but you are concerned for your own or somebody else’s mental wellbeing:
- Advise them to call NHS 24 on 111 or speak to their GP. The route into formal mental health services is through a GP surgery. If someone discloses to you that they are already being supported for their own mental health, it's useful to link them to where they are currently receiving support
Important Support Line Numbers and Links
• NHS 24 on 111
• Samaritans on 116 123
• Breathing Space on
• Mikeysline, Text
• Shout, Text 85258
• Clear Your Head website https://clearyourhead.scot/
Other helplines:
- National Scottish Domestic Abuse and Forced Marriage Helpline -
0800 027 1234 - LGBT Helpline Scotland
0300 123 2523 - CRUSE Bereavement Care Scotland –
0808 802 6161 - Childline - 0800 1111
Should you be concerned about a vulnerable adult, whether for care, welfare or mental health reasons, you can contact the following numbers:
- Adult Protection Concern helpline –
0800 902 0042 0808 175 3646