Settling in · County Down
Landing in County Down? Start here.
The first fortnight in County Down, in order: the paperwork that has to happen, then the places that make it feel like somewhere you could stay.
Week one and two
The order to do things in
1
Ring your Sama contact when you land
Whoever placed you. Tell them you arrived and that you are all right.
2
Apply for your National Insurance number
You can start work before it arrives, but do not leave it: your tax will be wrong until you have it.
3
Open a bank account
Passport, visa or share code, and proof of address. A letter from your employer usually does it.
4
Get a UK SIM
A local number makes the bank and the GP straightforward.
5
Register with a GP
Free at the point of use. Do it in your first week.
6
Check your tax code with HMRC
Get on the right code early or you will be paying too much for months.
7
Save your share code
You will be asked to prove your right to work and rent more than once.
8
Find the nearest shop, place of worship and club
The part that decides whether you stay, and the part no handbook covers.
Official, and free
Official finders
Run by the State, so they stay current. Search each one for your own town.
Find a GPThe NHS list of GP surgeries, searchable by postcode.Apply for a National Insurance numberYou need one to be taxed correctly. Apply once you are in the UK.Find an NHS dentistHarder than the GP. Start early and ring around.Check your visa and BRP or eVisaView and prove your immigration status online.Find your local police stationEmergency is 999 or 112. Non-emergency is 101.Understand your tax codeCheck what HMRC thinks you earn, so you are not overtaxed for months.Driving on a foreign licenceHow long you may drive on it, and whether it can be exchanged.Renting: know the rulesYour rights as a tenant, deposit protection and what a landlord may and may not do.Citizens AdviceFree, independent help with anything at all.Public transportNational rail and bus times and tickets.
Near you
74 places in County Down worth knowing in week one
From OpenStreetMap, the map that locals build, plus places our team knows. Every card has a map link. If one has closed or moved, WhatsApp us and it comes down.
Nothing nearby matches that yet. Try a shorter word.
Places of worship
Every faith near you, listed so people can find a community when they arrive. Sama Talent Group is not affiliated with any religion or religious organisation.
Churches
Cathedral Church of the Holy Trinity
Christian, Anglican
English Street, Downpatrick, BT30 6AB
About 12 km away
Saint John's Newcastle
Christian, Anglican
161 Central Promenade, Newcastle, BT33 0SE
About 16 km away
Hillsborough Free Presbyterian Church
Christian, Presbyterian
13 Comber Road, Royal Hillsborough, BT26 6LN
About 16 km away
St Mary of the Angels RC Church
Christian, Roman catholic
38 Clonvaraghan Road, BT31 9JX
About 6 km away
Other places of worship
Iglesia ni Cristo
Iglesia ni Cristo, Belfast
About 26 km away
2-4 University Avenue Belfast, BT7 1GY
Worship services: Thu 6:00pm · Sun 11:00am · Sun 1:00pm (children)
Addresses and worship service times from the Iglesia ni Cristo directory, checked October 2026. Times can change, so check the locale's own page before you go. directory.iglesianicristo.net
Shops from home
Food and takeaways
Curry Leaf
Indian. restaurant. Hours: Tu-Su 17:00-21:30
24 Ballynahinch Street, Royal Hillsborough, BT26 6AW
About 17 km away
Nando's
Chicken, portuguese. restaurant
Hillsborough Road, Lisburn, BT27 5UJ
About 19 km away
Sports and clubs
Ballymacarn Park
Rugby union. Sports centre
6 Mountview Road, Ballynahinch, BT24 8JR
About 4 km away
Russell Gaelic Union
Gaelic games. Sports centre
100 Old Course Road, Downpatrick, BT30 8BW
About 13 km away
Lisburn Racquets Club
Badminton, basketball, tennis. Sports centre
Belfast Road, Lisburn, BT27 4AT
About 21 km away
Dromore Rugby Football Club
Rugby union. Sports centre
Barban Hill, Dromore, BT25 1ND
About 18 km away
Rathfriland Football Club
Soccer. Sports centre
Iveagh Park Road, Rathfriland, BT34 5DZ
About 20 km away
Community and support groups
Ballynahinch Community Centre
Community centre
Windmill Street, Ballynahinch, BT24 8HB
About 6 km away
Dr Thomas Cromie Memorial Orange Hall
Community centre
The Square, Clough, BT30 8RA
About 8 km away
Castlewellan Community Centre
Community centre
32 Circular Road, Castlewellan, BT31 9ED
About 11 km away
Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann
Community centre
Main Street, Castlewellan, BT31 9DH
About 11 km away
Ballykinlar Community Centre
Community centre
83 Commons Road, Ballykinler, BT30 8DG
About 12 km away
Saintfield Community Centre
Community centre
Belfast Road, Saintfield, BT24 7EP
About 13 km away
Bridge Community Centre
Community centre
Braeside Gardens, Killyleagh, BT30 9QE
About 17 km away
Cabra Community Centre
Community centre
130 Castlewellan Road, Rathfriland, BT34 5RA
About 18 km away
Barbers and hair specialists
Hot towel and traditional shaves
The Turkish Barber Lounge
Hairdresser
Railway Street, Lisburn, BT28 1XG
About 20 km away
Barbers and salons
Cinemas and libraries
Castlewellan Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi
Main Street, Castlewellan, BT31 9DA
About 11 km away
Ballynahinch Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi
Main Street, Ballynahinch, BT24 8DN
About 6 km away
Lisburn Omniplex
Cinema
Lisburn Leisure Park, Lisburn, BT28 1LP
About 20 km away
Downpatrick Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi
Market Street, Downpatrick, BT30 6LZ
About 12 km away
Saintfield Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi
Ballynahinch Road, Saintfield, BT24 7AD
About 13 km away
Newcastle Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi
141-143 Main Street, Newcastle, BT33 0AE
About 16 km away
Killyleagh Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi
52 High Street, Killyleagh, BT30 9QF
About 17 km away
Dromore Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi
38 Market Square, Dromore, BT25 1AW
About 18 km away
Carryduff Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi. Hours: Mo 10:00-17:00; We 10:00-20:00; Fr 10:00-15:00; Sa 10:00-13:00
Church Road, Carryduff, BT8 8DT
About 18 km away
Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors. We do not make places up: if the map has it wrong, fix it on openstreetmap.org and it comes through at the next refresh.
Saving money
What locals use to spend less
The shops and sites people here use for cheap clothes, second-hand furniture, a car, and the weekly shop. We are not paid to list any of them.
Facebook Marketplace and GumtreeSecond-hand furniture, bikes, tools and cars, often for very little. Meet in public, and never pay before you see it.Freecycle and OlioThings people give away for free, and food from neighbours and shops that would otherwise go in the bin.Too Good To GoSurprise bags of food from cafes, bakeries and supermarkets at the end of the day, at a fraction of the price.PrimarkCheap everyday clothes, work basics and bedding.Aldi and LidlThe cheapest big supermarkets for the weekly shop.B&M and Home BargainsCleaning products, kitchen kit and household bits for less.Charity shopsClothes, coats and furniture, and the money goes to a good cause.MoneySavingExpertFree guides to cheaper phones, energy, bank accounts and sending money.
Getting around
Getting around from County Down
TravelineBus, coach and train times for the whole of Great Britain.National RailTrain times, tickets and railcards.Transport for LondonThe Tube, buses and the Oyster and contactless fares.
Driving here on your licence
Once you live in Great Britain you can drive a car or motorcycle on your full, valid licence for 12 months. After that, a licence from a designated country can be exchanged for a GB licence; from other countries you apply for a provisional licence and pass the theory and practical tests. Lorries, minibuses and buses have stricter rules: check before you drive one.
Check your licence on GOV.UK Exchange a licence
Hiring a car
Each rental company sets its own rules on age, how long you have held your licence and which licences it accepts, and young drivers often pay more. Check those rules before you book, and bring your licence and passport to the desk.
Driving rules taken from the official pages linked above, checked October 2026. They change, so the official page is the one to rely on.
While you are here