Overview
- Most areas have no collections on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day, with affected rounds moved to alternative dates from late December into early January.
- Garden waste services are suspended in many councils over the holidays, with restart timings varying by area, including pauses in Wiltshire, Dorset and the Bristol region.
- Household recycling centres close on the three bank holidays and often operate reduced hours on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve, with advance booking required in places such as Birmingham.
- Councils are offering Christmas tree recycling through free kerbside schemes or garden/bulky waste services, with specific rules on size, presentation and drop‑off sites highlighted in Southwark and Hackney.
- Limited ‘side waste’ allowances apply at the first post‑Christmas collection in some areas, including up to two extra tied bags in Birmingham and Dorset, alongside guidance to flatten or bundle cardboard and avoid contamination.