Settling in · Alton
Landing in Alton? Start here.
The first fortnight in Alton, 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
53 places in Alton 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
Saint John's Church
Christian, Anglican
School Bank, Staffordshire Moorlands, ST10 4SF
About 4 km away
St Mary & All Saints
Christian, Anglican
Church Lane, Staffordshire Moorlands, ST10 4NJ
About 6 km away
St Mark the Evangelist
Christian, Anglican
Shay Lane, Staffordshire Moorlands, ST10 2HN
About 8 km away
Uttoxeter Pentecostal Church
Christian, Pentecostal
High Street, Uttoxeter, ST14 7JQ
About 9 km away
Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses
Christian, Jehovahs witness
Springfield Road, Uttoxeter, ST14 7JX
About 9 km away
The nearest Iglesia ni Cristo to Alton
Iglesia ni Cristo, Nottingham
About 47 km away
Leyton Crescent Beeston, Nottingham NG9 1PR
Worship services: Tue 7:00pm · Fri 7:00pm
Iglesia ni Cristo, Birmingham
About 55 km away
2 Causeway Green Road Oldbury, West Midlands B68 8LD
Worship services: Wed 7:00pm · Sat 10:00am · Sat 12:30pm (children)
Iglesia ni Cristo, Manchester
About 59 km away
101 Edge Lane, Stretford, Manchester, M32 8PU
Worship services: Tue 7:00pm · Sat 8:00am (Tagalog) · Sat 11:00am · Sat 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
The Annapurna
Nepalese, indian. restaurant
25 Market Place, East Staffordshire, ST14 8HL
About 9 km away
Cheadle Chinese Restaurant
Chinese. restaurant
Croft Road, Staffordshire Moorlands, ST10 1AE
About 6 km away
Mughal Indian Restaurant
Indian. restaurant
High Street, Staffordshire Moorlands, ST10 1AY
About 6 km away
Indiana Kebab and Pizza
Pizza, kebab. takeaway
12 Carter Street, Uttoxeter, ST14 8EU
About 9 km away
Sports and clubs
GT Fitness
Crossfit, yoga, fitness. Sports centre. Hours: Mo-Fr 06:00-20:00; Sa,Su 09:30-20:00
Bridge Street Industrial Estate, Trinity Road, Uttoxeter, ST14 8SP
About 9 km away
Eaton Hall Shooting Ground
Shooting. Sports centre
Upwoods Road, Derbyshire Dales, DE6 5LN
About 7 km away
South Moorlands Leisure Centre
Sports centre
Cecilly Grove, Staffordshire Moorlands, ST10 1GA
About 6 km away
Eaton Hall Old Clubhouse
Shooting. Sports centre
Upwoods Road, Derbyshire Dales, DE6 5LN
About 7 km away
Draycott Racquet & Fitness Club
Sports centre
Cresswell Lane, Staffordshire Moorlands, ST11 9AF
About 10 km away
Darley Moor Sports Centre
Motor. Sports centre
Edlaston Lane, Derbyshire Dales, DE6 2DQ
About 10 km away
Days out and things to do
Cuckoo Cars Driving School
Sight worth seeing
World of David Walliams, Staffordshire Moorlands, ST10 4DB
Community and support groups
Cauldon Lowe Village Hall
Community centre
Ashbourne Road, Staffordshire Moorlands, ST10 3EX
About 6 km away
Marston Montgomery Village Hall
Community centre
Old School Meadows, Derbyshire Dales, DE6 2HG
About 7 km away
Kingsley Village Hall
Community centre
High Street, Staffordshire Moorlands, ST10 2AF
About 8 km away
Barbers and hair specialists
Barbers and salons
Cinemas and libraries
Uttoxeter Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi
57 High Street, Uttoxeter, ST14 7JQ
About 9 km away
Cheadle Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi
15a-17 High Street, Staffordshire Moorlands, ST10 1AY
About 6 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 Alton
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