Settling in · Dorset
Landing in Dorset? Start here.
The first fortnight in Dorset, 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
71 places in Dorset 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
Our Lady & Saint Lawrence
Christian, Roman catholic
A352 Glanvilles Wootton, DT9 5QP
About 14 km away
Iglesia ni Cristo
Iglesia ni Cristo, Gillingham, Dorset
About 32 km away
Salisbury st. Mere, Warminster, Wiltshire, BA12 6HA
Worship services: Thu 6:15pm · Sat 10:30am
Iglesia ni Cristo, Bournemouth
About 34 km away
673 Christchurch Road, Bournemouth, BH7 6AA
Worship services: Thu 6:15pm · Sat 10:30am · Sat 12:30pm (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
The Balti Express
Indian. takeaway
12 High East Street, Dorchester, DT1 1HS
About 13 km away
Rimjhim
Nepalese, indian. restaurant. Hours: Tu-Su 12:00-14:30,17:30-23:00; Mo off
4 West Street, Wimborne Minster, BH21 1JN
About 22 km away
Everest-29032
Nepalese, indian. restaurant
92 High Street Fordington, Dorchester, DT1 1LD
About 13 km away
Sports and clubs
Milborne Sports Ground
Soccer. Sports centre
Blandford Hill, Milborne St Andrew, DT11 0HY
About 3 km away
Winterborne Stickland Sports Club
Soccer. Sports centre
Downfield Winterborne Stickland, DT11 0NE
About 7 km away
Clayesmore Sports Centre
Soccer, swimming. Sports centre
Blandford Road, Iwerne Minster, DT11 8LL
About 16 km away
Days out and things to do
Clay Pigeon Raceway
Sports centre
Long Ash Lane, Frome St Quintin, DT2 9PW
About 18 km away
Community and support groups
Crossways Youth and Community Centre
Community centre
Old Farm Way, Crossways, DT2 8TU
About 12 km away
Cerne Abbas Village Hall
Community centre
Kettle Bridge Lane, Cerne Abbas, DT2 7GY
About 13 km away
Sutton Poyntz Mission Hall
Community centre
Mission Hall Lane, Weymouth, DT3 6LY
About 18 km away
Barbers and hair specialists
Hot towel and traditional shaves
Barbers and salons
The Barbers Lounge
Hairdresser. Hours: Mo-Fr 08:30-17:00; Th 08:30-19:00; Sa 08:00-16:00
216 Lower Blandford Road, Broadstone, BH18 8DX
About 22 km away
Wimborne Barber Shop
Hairdresser
61 High Street, Wimborne Minster, BH21 1HS
About 22 km away
Sleek & Chic Hair Design
Hairdresser
35 Salisbury Street, Blandford Forum, DT11 7AY
About 11 km away
Top O Town Barbers
Hairdresser. Hours: Tu-We 09:00-17:30; Th-Fr 09:00-18:00; Sa 08:30-16:00
37 High West Street, Dorchester, DT1 1UP
About 14 km away
Shorties Barbershop
Hairdresser. Hours: We 10:00-17:00; Th 10:00-19:00; Fr 10:00-18:00; Sa 10:00-17:00; Su 10:00-16:00
Allens Lane, Poole, BH16 5DA
About 21 km away
Cinemas and libraries
Plaza Cinema
Cinema
31 - 32, Trinity Street, Dorchester, DT1 1TT
About 14 km away
Dorchester Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi
Charles Street, Dorchester, DT1 1EE
About 14 km away
Tank Museum Library and Archive
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi
Linsay Road, Bovington, BH20 6FD
About 12 km away
Puddletown Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi
High Street, Puddletown, DT2 8RX
About 7 km away
Corfe Mullen Children's Centre and Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi
Wareham Road, Corfe Mullen, BH21 3JY
About 20 km away
Blandford Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi
Sheep Market Hill, Blandford Forum, DT11 7DP
About 12 km away
Crossways Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi. Hours: Tu 14:30-17:00; Th 10:00-12:00; Fr 15:30-18:00; Sa 10:00-11:45
Old Farm Way, Crossways, DT2 8BS
About 12 km away
Wool Community Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi
Colliers Lane, Wareham, BH20 6DL
About 15 km away
Lytchett Matravers Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi
High Street, Lytchett Matravers, BH16 6GP
About 16 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 Dorset
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