Settling in · Cumbria
Landing in Cumbria? Start here.
The first fortnight in Cumbria, 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
72 places in Cumbria 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.
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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
Salvation Army Hall
Christian, Salvation army
1 Hunter Lane, Penrith, CA11 7UY
About 12 km away
Hesket Newmarket Free Church
Christian
The Street, Hesket Newmarket, CA7 8JG
About 17 km away
St Mary's
Christian, Anglican, methodist
Vicarage Road, Ambleside, LA22 9DH
About 19 km away
Mosques and prayer rooms
Other places of worship
The nearest Iglesia ni Cristo to Cumbria
Iglesia ni Cristo, Blackpool
About 87 km away
Spencer Court Community Centre, Spencer Court, Blackpool, FY1 3TW, England
Worship services: Thu 6:00pm · Sun 11:00am
Iglesia ni Cristo, North Shields
About 103 km away
1A Stormont Street, North Shields, Tyne and Wear, NE29 OEY
Worship services: Thu 7:00pm · Sun 10:00am · Sun 12:00pm (children)
Iglesia ni Cristo, Isle of Man
About 114 km away
Farrant street Isle of Man, IM2 3HG
Worship services: Thu 6:00pm · Sun 10:45am · Sun 11:00am (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
Food and takeaways
Salsa Mexican Bistro
Mexican. restaurant
1 Castlegate, Penrith, CA11 7HX
About 12 km away
Indian Plaza
Indian. restaurant
45 Middlegate, Penrith, CA11 7PT
About 12 km away
Star of Siam
Thai. restaurant
89 Main Street, Keswick, CA12 5DT
About 15 km away
Jintana Thai Restaurant
Thai. restaurant. Hours: Mo-Su 12:00-14:30,17:00-22:00
Compston Road, Ambleside, LA22 9DJ
About 19 km away
Sports and clubs
Keswick Rugby Club
Rugby union. Sports centre
Crow Park Road, Keswick, CA12 5EG
About 16 km away
Glenridding Activity Centre
Sailing. Sports centre
A592 Glenridding, CA11 0PE
About 7 km away
Hawes End Centre
Sports centre
Derwent Bank Crescent, Portinscale, CA12 5UE
About 17 km away
Watersports at Low Wood Bay
Sports centre
A591 Windermere, LA23 1LP
About 21 km away
Keswick Leisure Pool & Fitness Centre
Fitness. Sports centre
Station Road, Keswick, CA12 4NE
About 15 km away
Days out and things to do
Keswick Climbing Wall & Activity Centre
Sports centre. Hours: 09:00-17:00
Keswick CA12 4RN
About 13 km away
Ambleside Climbing Wall
Sports centre
101 Lake Road, Ambleside, LA22 0DB
About 19 km away
Community and support groups
Penruddock Village Hall
Community centre
B5288 Penruddock, CA11 0QX
About 5 km away
Greystoke Village Hall
Community centre
Icold Road, Little Blencow, CA11 0TP
About 8 km away
Quandam Arts
Community centre
Huntley Avenue, Penrith, CA11 8NU
About 11 km away
Royal Air Force Cadets
Community centre
Friargate Penrith, CA11 7YJ
About 12 km away
Castlerigg Manor
Community centre
Manor Brow, Keswick, CA12 4AR
About 15 km away
Rawnsley Centre
Community centre. Hours: "community space for hire or use by owner (keswick ministries)"
Main Street, Keswick, CA12 5NP
About 15 km away
Crosthwaite Parish Room
Community centre
Main Street, Keswick, CA12 5NN
About 16 km away
Glenridding Village Hall
Community centre
Greenside Road, Glenridding, CA11 0PA
About 7 km away
Kelsick Centre
Community centre
St. Mary's Lane, Ambleside, LA22 9DG
About 19 km away
Barbers and hair specialists
Barbers and salons
Mirage Unisex Salon
Hairdresser
36B Gilwilly Road, Penrith, CA11 9BF
About 11 km away
Wade & Co. Barbers
Hairdresser
3 Castlegate, Penrith, CA11 7HZ
About 12 km away
Creations Unisex Hair Salon
Hairdresser
2 Poets Walk, Penrith, CA11 7HJ
About 12 km away
Unique Hair Studio
Hairdresser
5 Cornmarket, Penrith, CA11 7DA
About 12 km away
BB's Gents Hair Stylist
Hairdresser
4 Little Dockray, Penrith, CA11 7HL
About 12 km away
Figaro Barber Shop
Hairdresser
5 Market Square, Penrith, CA11 7AU
About 12 km away
Cinemas and libraries
Alhambra Cinema
Cinema
36 St John's Street, Keswick, CA12 5AG
About 15 km away
Keswick Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi
Heads Lane, Keswick, CA12 5HD
About 15 km away
Shap Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi
Main Street, Keld, CA10 3NL
About 16 km away
Ambleside Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi. Hours: Mo-Fr 10:00-13:00,14:00-17:00; Tu 13:00-18:00; Th off; Sa 10:00-13:00
Kelsick Road, Ambleside, LA22 0BZ
About 19 km away
Penrith Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi
St Andrews Churchyard, Penrith, CA11 7YA
About 12 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 Cumbria
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