The Highland Council

What The Highland Council does

The Highland Council is the statutory local government authority for the Highland council area of Scotland, established in 1996 under the Local Government etc. (Scotland) Act 1994 by merging the former Highland Regional Council and district councils. It is the largest local government area in the United Kingdom by geographic size, headquartered at Glenurquhart Road, Inverness, with a distributed network of 10+ service offices across Caithness, Sutherland, Ross-shire, Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey, Lochaber, and Skye. The council employs between 5,001 and 10,000 staff and operates through three service clusters — People, Corporate, and Place — led by a Chief Executive and three Assistant Chief Executives.

The council delivers a comprehensive portfolio of statutory public services including education, council and social housing, adult and child social care, roads and transport, planning and building standards, waste management, environmental health, registration services, and economic development. Service delivery is supported by a unified Citizen Online Services Portal (highland.gov.uk) integrated with the Scottish Government's mygov.scot myaccount single sign-on, plus dedicated modules for fostering and adoption, the Highland Domestic Abuse Service, the motorhome and campervan scheme, and the My Highland Future employment initiative. The council maintains active digital engagement through Facebook, X, LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube, Flickr, and the Engage Highland consultation platform.

The council is funded through three streams: Council Tax collected from residents and businesses, Scottish Government revenue support grants and other statutory funding, and transactional fees for planning applications, building warrants, licences, and permits. It operates as a public-sector entity without shareholders, accountable to locally elected councillors and the Scottish Government, and has no parent company. Strategic partnerships with NHS Highland, Skills Development Scotland, Highlands and Islands Enterprise, the University of the Highlands and Islands, SSE, and multiple third-sector bodies underpin service delivery across health, skills, economic development, and domestic abuse support.

Name

The Highland Council

Legal name

The Highland Council

Website

https://highland.gov.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1996

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

5,001–10,000 employees

Short description

The Highland Council is the statutory local government authority for the Highland council area of Scotland — the largest council area in the United Kingdom by geography — delivering education, housing, social care, roads, planning, and environmental services to approximately 235,000 residents across dispersed rural communities, funded through council tax, Scottish Government grants, and service fees.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Local Government Public Services

NAICS

Administration of Housing Programs, Urban Planning, and Community Development (925), Administration of Housing Programs, Urban Planning, and Community Development (9251), Administration of Urban Planning and Community and Rural Development (92512), Administration of Housing Programs (925110), Administration of Housing Programs (92511)

SIC

Services-To Dwellings & Other Buildings (7340), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Mayor/City Manager & General Administration (BPAIACAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Municipal Tax & Revenue Administration (Local) (BPAIACAD), Public Works & Municipal Infrastructure (Streets, Stormwater, Facilities) (BPAIACAF), Housing & Neighborhood Services (Local Housing Programs) (BPAIACAJ), Local Education Authorities & Municipal Education Offices (EDADABAD), Affordable Housing & Community Development (Housing, Community Land Trusts) (BPAGALAC)

Keywords

• Local government services
• Public sector administration
• Social housing services
• Waste management services
• Education services

Headquarters

HQ city

Inverness

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices11 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Council Tax: Local taxation collected from residents and businesses within the Highland Council area to fund public services.
2. Government Funding: Central Scottish Government funding and grants to support local government operations and public services.
3. Service Fees: Various fees collected for services including planning applications, building warrants, licensing, parking permits, and other council services.

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The Highland Council is a local government authority delivering statutory public services across the largest council area in the United Kingdom. Its core offering encompasses education, housing and homelessness services, social care, roads and transport, planning and building standards, waste and recycling, council tax administration, environmental health, registration of births/deaths/marriages, business licensing, and community development across dispersed rural and urban communities in the Scottish Highlands.

Product overview

The Highland Council operates as a local government authority providing citizen services through its website portal, which functions as a unified platform accessing multiple distinct service modules. The core offering includes online self-service for benefits, council tax, housing, planning, roads, and environmental services. Key service modules include: the main Citizen Online Services Portal; the Highland Domestic Abuse Service (HDAS) providing coordinated victim support; the Fostering and Adoption Service for child placement; Employment and Recruitment Services; Council and Social Housing across 10 local offices; Roads, Transport and Parking; Planning and Building Standards; Health and Social Care Services; Engage Highland consultation platform; Highland Council Bus Service; the Motorhome and Campervan Scheme; Recite Me accessibility toolbar; Education Maintenance Allowance; mygov.scot myaccount integration; My Highland Future employment initiative; Garage Rental Services; and Gaelic Services. These modules collectively serve the council's role in local government administration, social services, infrastructure, education, and community development across the Highland region.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Citizen Online Services Portal The main council website providing citizens with access to all council services including benefits, bins and recycling, council tax, housing applications, planning applications, road reports, and more through online self-service portals. Targeted at Highland residents and businesses.
• Council and Social Housing Service Housing services including council house applications, rent payments, repair requests, homeless support, and access to local housing teams across 10 office locations throughout Highland. Targeted at residents in housing need.
• Fostering and Adoption Service The Highland Council's service for fostering and adoption, providing temporary and permanent family-based placements with approved carers for children and young people, including kinship care, private fostering, and adoption services. Targeted at foster/adoptive families and children in care.
• Highland Domestic Abuse Service (HDAS)

Quantifiable outcome

• £850,000 annual food waste reduction targeted through schools meal service action plan
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

AI capability2 records

Partnerships

17 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Inverness, Badenoch and Strathspey Citizens Advice BureaucoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 June 2026Awarded contract for female domestic abuse outreach services as part of the Highland-wide Domestic Abuse Service (HDAS) from 1 July 2026. Joins existing HDAS partners including Caithness and Sutherland Women's Aid, Ross-shire Women's Aid, Lochaber Women's Aid, and Victim Support Scotland.
• Caithness and Sutherland Women's AidcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2026Joined HDAS on 1 April 2026 to deliver domestic abuse support to women and children for North Highland as part of the unified Highland-wide Domestic Abuse Service.
• Ross-shire Women's AidcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2026Joined HDAS on 1 April 2026 to deliver domestic abuse support to women and children for Mid Highland. Also provides refuge accommodation in Dingwall and Skye.
• Lochaber Women's AidcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2026Joined HDAS on 1 April 2026 to deliver domestic abuse support to women and children for West Highland.
• Victim Support ScotlandcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2026Joined HDAS on 1 April 2026 to deliver domestic abuse support to all men, trans women and men, and non-binary people for Highland.
• NHS HighlandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint partnership for health and social care integration. Partners collaborate on adult social care, mental health services, child protection, fostering and adoption services, and domestic abuse services. Highland Power of Attorney Month launched jointly in June 2026 to promote Power of Attorney awareness.
• Inverness Women's AidminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides refuge accommodation in Inverness. Did not submit tender application for Inverness South domestic abuse outreach contract. Contracts remain in place until 30 September 2026 during refuge services review.
• SSE (Scottish and Southern Energy)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to refurbish 18 empty homes in Wick, Caithness as part of SSE's £33bn strategic investment in northern Scotland electricity transmission networks. SSE is creating 600 jobs and has secured 25 of 34 major planning consents for grid reinforcement projects.
• NHS HighlandcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFeatured partner for adult social care vacancies through the council's working for us employment pages.
• High Life HighlandminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFeatured partner for leisure services employment. Council offers Highlife Highland corporate membership as an employee benefit.
• Developing the Young Workforce (DYW)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDYW partnership under My Highland Future workstream supports young people and adults to access apprenticeship routes and skills development qualifications.
• Work Life Highland PartnershipcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership of public, private and third-sector organizations supporting people into sustainable, fair employment. Helps lift Highland residents out of poverty while enabling employers to access local talent.
• Skills Development ScotlandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Workforce North collaboration with Highlands and Islands Enterprise, University of the Highlands and Islands, and Inverness and Cromarty Firth Green Freeport to promote co-investment in talent development.
• Highlands and Islands EnterprisecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partner in Workforce North and economic development initiatives including My Highland Future and Invest Highland programs.
• University of the Highlands and Islands (UHI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Workforce North collaboration for talent development and retention across the Highlands and Islands.
• Inverness and Cromarty Firth Green FreeportminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Workforce North initiative for green economy talent development and retention.
• Invest HighlandminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupport service for businesses relocating to the Highland region, working with national and regional agencies to attract investment and foster inclusive growth.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• City of Edinburgh Council: Largest Scottish local authority by population, with the same statutory remit but very different urban operating context. Useful benchmark for digital service delivery (mygov.scot) and large-scale social care operations.
• Glasgow City Council: Scotland's largest urban local authority with overlapping statutory services. Comparable in service breadth but contrasts sharply on rural-versus-urban delivery economics, scale of social care demand, and housing stock.

Direct peers

• Perth and Kinross Council: Mid-sized Scottish unitary authority with a mix of urban (Perth) and rural areas. Comparable scope of statutory services, similar governance structure, and similar exposure to council tax and central grant funding.
• Aberdeenshire Council: Another large Scottish local authority serving a predominantly rural geography in the northeast. Directly comparable as a multi-service unitary council covering education, housing, roads, social care, and planning across a dispersed population.
• Scottish Borders Council: Rural Scottish local authority of comparable scale and service breadth. Direct peer on funding structure, service delivery model, and the challenge of providing council services across a large, low-density geography.
• Argyll and Bute Council: Scottish local authority with a similar rural-coastal geography and challenges of dispersed service delivery. Comparable service portfolio across housing, education, social work, and roads, and similar funding model via Council Tax and Scottish Government grants.

Others

• Highlands and Islands Enterprise: Regional development agency covering the same geography as Highland Council. Partner organization on Workforce North, My Highland Future, and Invest Highland; comparable in economic development remit but distinct from statutory local authority functions.
• NHS Highland: Health board operating across the Highland region and the council's primary health and social care integration partner. Comparable geographic footprint and joint delivery of adult social care, fostering, and domestic abuse services via the Highland Health and Social Care Partnership.
• COSLA (Convention of Scottish Local Authorities): Representative body for all 32 Scottish councils. Indirectly comparable as the umbrella organization negotiating grant settlements, shared digital platforms (mygov.scot), and policy frameworks that Highland Council operates within.

Regional players

• Lake District National Park Authority: UK public authority responsible for planning, conservation, and visitor services across a major rural tourism geography. Comparable in scale of rural service delivery, planning authority role, and visitor infrastructure management but operates outside Scotland.

Market position

Strengths1 record

Weaknesses1 record

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/HighlandCouncil
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/TheHighlandCouncil
• Facebookfacebook.com/highlandcouncil
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/highland-council
• Instagraminstagram.com/highlandcouncil

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments1 record

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Highland Council