Settling in · North Yorkshire
Landing in North Yorkshire? Start here.
The first fortnight in North Yorkshire, 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 North Yorkshire 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
Harrogate Road Methodist Church
Christian, Methodist
Harewood Road, Ripon, HG4 1TG
About 9 km away
Gracious Street Methodist Church
Christian, Methodist
Gracious Street, Knaresborough, HG5 8DS
About 11 km away
Iglesia ni Cristo
Iglesia ni Cristo, Leeds
About 32 km away
Monk Bridge Road, Meanwood, Leeds West Yorkshire, England, LS6 4HH
Worship services: Thu 7:00pm · 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
Food and takeaways
Sports and clubs
Knaresborough Rugby Union Football Club
Rugby union. Sports centre
Hay-a-Park Lane, Knaresborough, HG5 0FE
About 10 km away
Ripon Rugby Union Football Club
Rugby union. Sports centre
Mallorie Park Drive, Ripon, HG4 2QD
About 10 km away
Wetherby Racecourse
Horse racing. Sports centre
York Road, Wetherby, LS22 5EJ
About 19 km away
Jack Laugher Leisure And Wellness Centre
Sports centre
Dallamires Lane, Ripon, HG4 1TN
About 8 km away
Wigginton Squash & Social Club
Squash. Sports centre
Mill Lane, Wigginton, YO32 2PY
About 22 km away
Bannatyne's Health Club
Sports centre. Hours: Mo-Fr 06:00-22:00; Sa-Su 08:00-20:00; PH 08:00-20:00
White Rose Close, York, YO26 6RL
About 22 km away
Knaresborough Leisure and Wellness Centre
Swimming, cycling. Sports centre
King James Road, Knaresborough, HG5 8EB
About 11 km away
Driving schools
Corinne Dickson Driving Instructor
Driving school
Leadhall Crescent, Harrogate, HG2 9NG
About 17 km away
Community and support groups
Husthwaite Village Hall
Community centre. Hours: "Available to book"
The Nookin, York, YO61 4PY
About 15 km away
Staveley & Copgrove Village Hall
Community centre
Main Street, Knaresborough, HG5 9LD
About 5 km away
Barbers and hair specialists
Hot towel and traditional shaves
Barbers and salons
Peter Hart Hairdressers
Hairdresser
15 Beech Way, Upper Poppleton, YO26 6JD
About 21 km away
JC Barber Shop
Hairdresser. Hours: Mo-We 09:15-17:00; Th 09:15-19:00; Fr 09:15-17:00; Sa 07:30-13:30; Su off; PH off
18 Allerton Drive, York, YO26 6HN
About 21 km away
Cinemas and libraries
Ripon Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi
The Arcade, Ripon, HG4 1AG
About 9 km away
Boroughbridge Community Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi
St James Square, York, YO51 9AR
Mashamshire Community Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi
7 Little Market Place, Ripon, HG4 4DY
About 22 km away
Boston Spa Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi
High Street, Leeds, LS23 6BH
About 22 km away
Knaresborough Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi
Jockey Lane, Knaresborough, HG5 0HF
About 11 km away
Starbeck Community Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi
68A High Street, Harrogate, HG2 7LW
About 13 km away
Bilton and Woodfield Community Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi
Woodfield Road, Harrogate, HG1 4NE
About 13 km away
Easingwold Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi
Market Place, York, YO61 3AN
About 14 km away
Thirsk Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi
Chapel Street, Thirsk, YO7 1TH
About 15 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 North Yorkshire
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