Changes to bin collection dates and council services over the Christmas and New Year holidays.
Due to public holidays, there will be no waste collections on Thursday 25 and Friday 26 December 2025 and Thursday 1 and Friday 2 January 2026.
If your kerbside waste and recycling collections are scheduled to take place on those dates, the table below gives details of when you should present your bin for uplift:
| Scheduled collection date | When to present your bin |
|---|---|
| Thursday 25 December | Monday 22 December |
| Friday 26 December | Tuesday 23 December |
| Thursday 1 January | Monday 29 December |
| Friday 2 January | Tuesday 30 December |
Please present your bin by 7am on the morning of collection and remember that it may be collected at a different time from usual.
There will be no food/garden collections between Monday 22 December 2025 and Sunday 4 January 2026. Please do not present your brown bin for collection during this period; wait until your first scheduled collection after 4 January.
There will be no Special Uplift Service between Monday 22 December 2025 and Sunday 11 January 2026.
Real Christmas trees (with all decorations removed) can be disposed of free of charge at your nearest Household Waste Recycling Centre. Please don’t present trees beside your wheeled bin as they will not be uplifted.
All Household Waste Recycling Centres will close at 2pm on Wednesday 24 December and Wednesday 31 December with last entry at 1.50pm.
Our centres are always very busy at this time of year, especially at peak times between 10am and 2pm, so please be aware that traffic management will be in place.
Wrapping paper and cards, batteries, bottles, foil, and leftovers - so much of your festive waste can be recycled.
Find tips for recycling these and more from Zero Waste Scotland.
Find out what you can recycle at home.
Council offices will be closed from Thursday 25 December 2025 until Monday 5 January 2026.
There are some exceptions, such as Registration Offices. Information and services can be accessed online or by calling the contact numbers below.
Registration staff will be available to register deaths remotely, with no face-to-face appointments being taken, on Monday 29, Tuesday 30 and Wednesday 31 December. Call Motherwell Registration Office on 01698 302206 from 10am to 12.00 noon or 2pm to 4pm.
For emergency registrations please contact the Registration Service out-of-hours number on 07985 330371.
Social Work locality offices can be contacted from 8.45am to 4.45pm on Monday 29 December 2025 to Wednesday 31 December 2025 on:
From 25 to 28 December 2025 and 1 to 4 January 2026, the Social Work Emergency Service (SWES) can be contacted on 0800 121 4114 or Home Support on 0300 555 0408.
Housing Repairs (24/7) – 0800 678 1166
Social Work Emergency Service – 0800 121 4114
Gas/solid fuel heating repairs – 0845 606 1555
Homelessness – (operating 24/7 from close of business on 24 December 2025 to 8.45am on 5 January 2026) – 0800 953 2424
Anti-social behaviour (operating normal 24/7 service every day) – 0300 123 1382
Telephone payments (24/7) – 01698 403130
Scottish Welfare Fund – Crisis Grants & Community Care Grants - Customers can apply online or by email at SWF@northlan.gov.uk
Page last updated:
09 Dec 2025