Need to know: Bin collection, health, helplines and Highland Council service arrangements over festive period
Register for free to read more of the latest local news. It's easy and will only take a moment.
Recycling Centres and Bin Collections
If your normal collection day is Monday, December 25, Monday, January 1, 2024 or Tuesday, January 2, 2024, you have a different collection day over the festive period.
Ross and Cromarty
Variable collection days, see your Christmas collection sticker on your bin
Skye and Lochalsh
Monday, December 25 will be collected on Saturday, December 23.
Monday, January 1, 2024 will be collected on Saturday, December 30.
Tuesday, January 2, 2024 normal collections.
Region-wide details for the Highland Council can be seen here.
All Household Waste Recycling Centres are closed on the December 25 and 26 January 1 and 2.
For info on recycling centres visit www.highland.gov.uk/recyclingcentres
For 2023 bin calendars visit www.highland.gov.uk/bincalendars
The Service Centre will close at 4pm on December 22, re-opening on 27, 28 and 29 December (opening times 10am to 4pm). It will be closed on January 1 and 2 and open 8am to 5pm from January 3, 2024.
Service points will close at 4pm on December 22, operating their normal hours December 27, 28, and 29. They are closed January 1 and 2 and open on January 3, 2024. Opening hours differ depending on location. Find the details for your local Service Point here.
Inverness Registration Office will close at 4pm on December 22. Staff will be available by appointment only on December 27, 28, and 29 (10am to 4pm). It will be closed January 1 and 2 and will reopen for appointments from 9am on January 3, 2024.
Urgent death registration appointments will also be available on December 27, 28 and 29 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:
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
Emergency out of hours numbers
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)
Emergency health
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 0800 83 85 87 (6pm Friday – 6am Monday & 6pm – 2am on weekdays)
• Mikeysline, Text 07786 20 77 55
• 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 in office hours; and out of office hours or during holiday periods – 0808 175 3646.
