Christmas and New Year opening hours

There are changes to some of our services and opening hours over the festive period, but essential help and support will still be available.

Visiting our council office

The Hackney Service Centre will close at 4pm on Wednesday 24 December 2025. It will reopen at 9am on Friday 2 January 2026.

Contacting us by phone

Our phone lines will close at 4pm on Wednesday 24 December 2025. They’ll reopen at 9am on Friday 2 January 2026.

Out-of-hours emergency numbers

If there is an emergency, you can contact us by phone outside opening hours. Call us about:

• emergency housing repairs: 020 8356 3691
• adult social care and homelessness: 0208 356 2300
• antisocial behaviour: 0208 356 3310
• concerns about a child: 0208 356 2710

In the event of an emergency with a risk to life, call 999 immediately.

Parking restrictions in Hackney

For information on parking restrictions over the festive period, see Parking enforcement on bank holidays.

Rubbish and recycling collections

Some collection days will change over the festive period.

If your usual collection day is Thursday or Friday, your collections will take place one or 2 days later than normal.

If your usual collection day is Tuesday or Wednesday, your collections will not change.

If you’re not sure what day your rubbish and recycling is usually collected, check your collection day.

The table below shows your collection days over the festive period.

Make sure you place your bins and green sacks at the edge of your property by 6am on your collection day.

Collections will be back to normal from Tuesday 6 January 2026.

Christmas tree recycling

Find out how to recycle your real Christmas tree.

Library and archive opening hours

On Wednesday 24 December 2025, Homerton and Clapton Libraries will be closed. All other Hackney libraries will close at 3pm.

All libraries will remain closed on:

• Thursday 25 December
• Friday 26 December
• Thursday 1 January

Normal opening hours will return on Friday 2 January 2026.

Hackney Archives

For information about Hackney Archives services during the festive period, visit our Archives and Local History page.

Leisure centres

All leisure centres will be closed on Monday 22 December 2025. The following centres will remain closed until Saturday 3 January 2026:

• Hackney South Marsh
• Hackney North Marsh
• Mabley Green
• Gainsborough
• Westminster Boating Base

Queensbridge Sports and Community Centre will be closed from Monday 22 December 2025 until Thursday 1 January 2026.

Leisure centres with adjusted opening hours

Normal hours apply on the dates not listed.

Registration services

Registration services will not be available on Thursday 25 December 2025. Services will be open from 9am to 4.30pm for death registrations only on:

• Monday 29 December 2025
• Tuesday 30 December 2025
• Wednesday 31 December 2025

Death registrations are by appointment only. To book an appointment, see Deaths – register a death.

For urgent burials or funerals, an out-of-hours on-call service is available to issue the green (or white for stillbirths) certificate required for burial or cremation as soon as possible after death. The service is open from 9am and 11am on Saturdays, Sundays and bank holidays, except Christmas Day.

Normal hours and services will return from Friday 2 January 2026.

Hackney Here to Help service

The Here to Help service will be closed from Thursday 25 December 2025. It will reopen at 9am on Friday 2 January 2026.

During this time, applications submitted to the service will not be assessed.

Domestic Abuse Intervention service

The Domestic Abuse Intervention service will be closed on:

• Thursday 25 December 2025
• Friday 26 December 2025
• Thursday 1 January 2026

For support during these days or outside office hours, call the National Domestic Violence Helpline (free) on 0808 2000 247.

If you’re in immediate danger, call the police on 999. For non-emergencies, contact the police on 101.

Refugee, migrant and asylum seeker service

The Welcome Hackney service will be closed from Thursday 25 December 2025. It will reopen at 9am on Friday 2 January 2026.