Hackney Council to introduce fees for bulky waste collections
From Monday 25 September, most residents will pay a small fee for bulky waste collections. Collections will cost just £15, but residents who receive housing benefit will not have to pay.
Currently, all households can book up to four free collections per year, of up to five items per collection, for large items like furniture and appliances.
The proposed charge of £15 for a collection of up to five items will be amongst the lowest in the country. The majority of London councils charge for the service, with collections costing over £50 in some boroughs.
The Council wants to ensure that the charge does not penalise those on low incomes, so residents who receive housing benefit will continue to receive the four free collections per year currently offered to all residents.
Due to government cuts, the Council has to save another £14m this financial year. We do not want to cut front line services like cleaning streets and maintaining parks, but we are also unable to continue providing certain services for free.
We’ve kept the fee as low as possible – collections will be considerably cheaper than in other London boroughs – and residents who receive housing benefit will not need to pay at all. The income from this charge will help us continue to provide the high quality services expected by our residents.
Residents with furniture in a reusable condition can have it collected free of charge by Homestore, the Council’s charity partner. There are also five household waste and recycling centres near Hackney that residents can take items to, free of charge.