Settling in · Altrincham
Landing in Altrincham? Start here.
The first fortnight in Altrincham, 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
75 places in Altrincham 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
St Nicholas
Christian, Anglican
408 Kingsway, Manchester, M19 1PL
About 10 km away
King's Way Church
Christian, Baptist
Glebelands Road, Trafford, M33 6PA
About 5 km away
St Mary's Methodist Church
Christian, Methodist
Wilmslow Road, Handforth, Wilmslow, SK9 3LF
About 10 km away
The Parish Church of St. Michael, Flixton
Christian, Anglican
Church Road, Trafford, M41 6JH
About 6 km away
Mosques and prayer rooms
Buddhist temples and centres
Other places of worship
Iglesia ni Cristo
Iglesia ni Cristo, Manchester
About 7 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)
Iglesia ni Cristo, Liverpool
About 45 km away
St Laurence's School, St. Laurence Drive Birkenhead, England CH41 3JD
Worship services: Wed 7:00pm · Sun 11:00am
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
D'Grand Haveli
Indian. restaurant
Liverpool Road, Salford, M44 6FF
About 8 km away
Sports and clubs
Whalley Range Cricket & Lawn Tennis Club
Cricket, tennis. Sports centre
Kingsbrook Road, Manchester, M16 8WR
About 9 km away
Didsbury Sports Ground
Rugby union, soccer, athletics. Sports centre
Ford Lane, Manchester, M20 2SZ
About 8 km away
Whalley Range Sports Centre
Soccer, fitness. Sports centre
11-18 Wilbraham Road, Manchester, M16 8GW
About 9 km away
Knutsford Leisure Centre
Swimming, exercise, volleyball, soccer, basketball, netball, badminton, table tennis, squash, football, tennis. Fitness centre
About 10 km away
Timperley Sports Club
Cricket, field hockey, lacrosse, soccer. Sports centre
Stockport Road, Trafford, WA15 7LU
Bowdon Cricket, Hockey and Squash Club
Cricket, field hockey, squash. Sports centre
South Downs Road, Trafford, WA14 3DT
About 2 km away
CorpAcq Stadium - Community Pitches
Soccer, rugby league. Sports centre
Salford Western Gateway, Salford, M30 7NG
About 9 km away
Fishing spots and tackle shops
Days out and things to do
Driving schools
Community and support groups
Didsbury Neighbourhood Centre
Community centre
Gillbrook Road, Didsbury, Manchester, M20 6WH
About 9 km away
Westcroft Community Centre
Community centre
Westcroft Road, Manchester, M20 6FE
About 10 km away
Partington Youth Centre
Community centre. Hours: "Summer is 12:00-16:00. all year is 06:00-08:00 in average"
Moss Lane, Trafford, M31 4DZ
About 6 km away
Wilbraham St. Ninian's Church Hall
Community centre
Egerton Road South, Manchester, M21 0XD
About 8 km away
Lymm Youth and Community Centre
Community centre
1 Bridgewater Street, Lymm, WA13 0AB
About 9 km away
Barbers and hair specialists
Barbers and salons
Flanagans
Hairdresser. Hours: Mo-We 09:00-18:00; Th,Fr 09:00-18:45; Sa 09:00-16:30; Su off
804 Wilmslow Road, Manchester, M20 6UH
About 8 km away
Toni & Guy
Hairdresser. Hours: Mo 08:30-18:30; Tu 09:00-18:30; We 09:00-19:00; Th 09:00-20:00; Fr 08:30-19:00; Sa 08:30-17:00; Su off
737 Wilmslow Road, Manchester, M20 6WF
About 9 km away
Amanda James Hairdressing
Hairdresser. Hours: Tu,We,Fr 09:30-18:00; Th 09:30-18:00; Sa 09:00-17:30; Su,Mo off
17b Barlow Moor Road, Manchester
About 9 km away
Terence-Paul Hairdressing
Hairdresser. Hours: Th 10:00-20:00; Tu,We,Fr 09:00-18:00; Sa 09:00-17:00
705 Wilmslow Road, Manchester, M20 6RE
About 9 km away
Amy-sha
Hairdresser. Hours: Mo-We,Fr,Sa 10:00-20:00; Th 12:00-20:00
677 Wilmslow Road, Manchester, M20 6RA
About 9 km away
Cinemas and libraries
Cadishead Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi. Hours: Mo-Fr 08:30-19:00; Sa 08:30-13:00
126 Liverpool Road, Manchester, M44 5AN
About 7 km away
Irlam Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi. Hours: Mo 09:00-18:30; Tu 09:00-17:30; We 09:00-13:00; Th-Fr 09:00-17:30; Sa 09:00-13:00
Liverpool Road, Manchester, M44 6FD
About 8 km away
Coppice Library and Wellbeing Centre
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi
Coppice Avenue, Trafford, M33 4XA
About 3 km away
Brooklands Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi. Hours: Mo-Tu, Fr-Sa 10:00-13:00, 14:00-17:00; We 10:00-13:00, 14:00-20:00
Moor Road, M23 9BP
About 4 km away
Chorlton Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi
Manchester Road, Manchester, M21 9PQ
About 8 km away
Heald Green Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi
Finney Lane, Stockport, SK8 3JB
About 8 km away
Odeon Manchester Trafford Centre
Cinema
201-203 Barton Dock Road, Manchester, M17 8DF
About 9 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 Altrincham
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