All you need to know – Highland Council service arrangements over festive period 2023/2024
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Highland Council has produced a detailed list for all its services and other essential information that may be required over the Christmas holiday period.
The Service Centre will close at 4pm on December 22, re-opening on December 27, 28 and 29 (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 at: www.highland.gov.uk/directory/16/service_points
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:
Recycling Centres and Bin Collections
If your normal collection day is Monday December 25, 2023, Monday January 1, 2024 or Tuesday January 2, 2024, you have a different collection day over the festive period.
Caithness
- 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 will be collected Saturday, January 6, 2024
All festive waste collection information is on the council website: www.highland.gov.uk/info/1063/rubbish_-_household_waste/944/festive_waste_collections
All Household Waste Recycling Centres are closed on December 25 and 26 and 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
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 www.bearscot.com/report-a-defect/
- Amey (Northeast) - 08000 830 084 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 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
