Highland Council service arrangements over festive period 2024/2025

The Service Centre will close at 5pm on Tuesday 24 December, re-opening on Friday 27 December (opening times 8am to 5pm). It will be closed on 1 and 2 January and open 8am to 5pm from Friday 3 January 2025.

Service Points are operating their normal hours 24, 27, 30, 31 December and are closed 25 and 26 December and 1 and 2 January and re-open on 3 January 2024.  Opening hours differ depending on location.  Find the details for your local Service Point at this link on our website.

Inverness Registration Office will be operating normal hours 9.00am – 4.30pm 24, 27, 30, 31 December (telephone lines open 10.00am – 3.00pm).  We will be closed on 25 and 26 December and 1 and 2 January.  Re-opening on 3 January 2025.   Registration available by appointment.

Urgent death registration appointments will also be available on 27, 30 and 31 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:

• www.highland.gov.uk/report
• www.highland.gov.uk/request
• www.highland.gov.uk/pay

Bin Collections and Recycling Centres

Christmas Collections:

• Wednesday 25 December 2024 collections will be done on Saturday 21 December 2024
• Thursday 26 December 2024 (Boxing Day) collections operating as normal
• Wednesday 1 January 2025 collections will be done on Saturday 28 December 2024
• Thursday 2 January 2025 collections will be done on Saturday 4 January 2025

If your bin is not emptied on the dates as detailed above, please leave it out and we will collect it as soon as possible.

• Information on waste services that are currently disrupted

https://www.highland.gov.uk/info/1054/rubbish_and_recycling/1015/information_on_waste_services_that_are_currently_disrupted

All Household Waste Recycling Centres are closed on the 25 and 26 December and 1 and 2 January

• Info on recycling centres 
• Bin calendars 

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

• Health and social care - 0808 175 3646
• Roads, parks, flooding and street lighting - 01349 886690 
• Housing, homelessness, and public buildings – 01349 886691
• Registration - 07818 588 203

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 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 

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