Assisted Household Bin Collections

Most councils offer a special Assisted Bin Collection Service but few people know it actually exists, what it is and how to access it.   

Assisted Waste Collections are only available to certain households within the community. Households that contain residents with disabilities, frail or elderly tenants, incapacitated tenants or anyone else that cannot physically present their waste for collection at the kerbside can benefit from this service and its usually free.  

An assisted waste collection service is a doorstep collection of your recycling bins or general waste. Rather than having to physically take the bins out to the kerb for collection yourself the collection service operative will collect the recycling or general waste bins from your garden or bin store area on collection day, take them out to the vehicle for emptying then bring them back into your garden or bin storage area.  

The scheme is closely monitored by the council and is only available if the above applies and where no other “able-bodied” person lives at the address. Most councils also offer this scheme to tenants with Dementia, Alzheimer’s and other mental health conditions so it’s worth checking with your local authority if you, a family member or someone you care for could benefit from this service. 

There are two main ways you can apply for the service. By phone or online. You can call your council or local authorities office and ask for this service.  The most convenient way is to go online, a form can be found on the council website which you complete online quite quickly.  

Regardless of how you make contact you will need to have certain information availbe to be able to apply. You will be asked for the following information: 

• Name, address and phone number of the applicant. Tenants, Family of, or Caregivers can apply for this service on behalf of the tenant but if an application is made on behalf of another person (e.g. an elderly relative) you will need to provide the collection address and your name and contact details. 
• You will be asked to confirm that there is no one at the address able to physically present the bins to the kerb for collections. 
• You will be asked to confirm the reason why this service is needed, ie Frail or Elderly, Disabled person etc. 
• You will be asked if this service is required temporary or permanent basis, if temporary an end date will be required. 
• You will be asked brief questions on access, ie is there more than three steps (up or down) to road level. 
• You will be asked who should be contacted regards this service, ie the tenant, caregiver or family member etc. And to provide the relevant contact details. 

Once the application is completed a confirmation will be sent either by post or email if provided. The service will usually commence as soon as the application has been verified and confirmed. 

Cancelling a Service 

To cancel an existing assisted waste collection service, you can use the same contact methods above. It’s important that the service is cancelled if it is no longer required prompt cancellations assist the council to operate the scheme consistently for those that need it.