Settling in · Babraham
Landing in Babraham? Start here.
The first fortnight in Babraham, 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
76 places in Babraham 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 Andrew's
Christian, Anglican. Hours: We 14:00-16:00; Su 10:00-11:00
Coldhams Lane, Cambridge, CB1 3JS
About 7 km away
Cambridge Salvation Army
Christian, Salvation army
3 Tenison Road, Cambridge, CB1 2DG
About 9 km away
German Church of Cambridge and Eastanglia
Christian, Lutheran
4 Shaftesbury Road, Cambridge, CB2 8BW
About 9 km away
Catholic Church of Our Lady and the English Martyrs
Christian, Roman catholic
Hills Road, Cambridge, CB2 1JR
About 9 km away
Russian Orthodox Church of St Edmund
Christian, Russian orthodox
14 High Street, South Cambridgeshire, CB21 6BG
About 2 km away
St Mary & St Andrew (Whittlesford Parish Church)
Christian, Anglican
Church Lane, South Cambridgeshire, CB22 4NG
About 4 km away
Mosques and prayer rooms
Masjid Al Ikhlas & Cambridge Islamic Centre
Muslim, Sunni
4 Devonshire Road, Cambridge, CB1 2BH
About 9 km away
Iglesia ni Cristo
Iglesia ni Cristo, Cambridge
About 15 km away
Water Beach Barracks Sports Hall and Sudio, Cambridge, England, CB25 9PA
Worship services: Wed 7:00pm · Sun 11:00am · Sun 1:00pm (children)
Iglesia ni Cristo, Hertfordshire
About 40 km away
Datchworth Village Hall, 52 Datchworth Green, Datchworth, Knebworth, SG3 6TL
Worship services: Wed 8:00pm · Sat 10:00am · Sat 12:00pm (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
Shops from home
International Food Store
Convenience
96 Mill Road, Cambridge, CB1 2BD
About 9 km away
Ocean Supermarket
Supermarket. stocks Chinese goods. Hours: Mo-Su 10:15-19:00
58 Mill Road, Cambridge, CB1 2AS
About 9 km away
Spice Gate
Convenience. Hours: Sa-Th 10:00-19:00; Fr 10:00-12:00,14:00-19:00
14 Mill Road, Cambridge, CB1 2AD
About 9 km away
Jiamart
Supermarket. stocks Asian goods. Hours: Mo-Su 11:00-20:00
31 Burleigh Street, Cambridge, CB1 1DG
About 10 km away
Cambridge Indian Supermarket
Convenience. stocks Indian, philippines goods. Hours: Mo-Sa 08:00-22:00; Su 08:00-20:00
11 High Street, Cambridge, CB1 9HY
About 7 km away
Cho Mee
Convenience. stocks Chinese, malaysian goods. Hours: Mo-Fr 10:00-18:00; Sa 09:30-19:00; Su 10:00-18:00
108-110 Mill Road, Cambridge, CB1 2BD
About 9 km away
Polish Market Jess
Convenience. Hours: Mo-Sa 09:00-19:00; Su 11:00-18:00
72 Newmarket Road, Cambridge, CB5 8DZ
About 10 km away
Food and takeaways
The House
Thai. restaurant. Hours: Tu-Th,Su 11:30-15:00,17:30-21:30; Fr-Sa 11:30-15:00,17:30-22:00; Mo off
106 Regent Street, Cambridge, CB2 1DP
About 9 km away
EKO Kitchen
African. restaurant. Hours: Mo,Tu,Th-Sa 13:00-20:30
8 Norfolk Street, Cambridge, CB1 2LF
About 10 km away
Baan Thai Street Food Restaurant
Thai. restaurant. Hours: 12:00-21:00
Park Terrace, Cambridge, CB1 1JH
About 10 km away
Grill Brothers
Burger, kebab, chicken. takeaway. Hours: 16:00-02:00
529b Newmarket Road, Cambridge, CB5 8LG
About 10 km away
Wagamama
Asian. restaurant. Hours: Mo-Th 11:00-22:00; Fr,Sa 11:00-23:00; Su 11:00-22:00
2G Clifton Way, Cambridge, CB1 7DY
About 8 km away
Nando's
Chicken, portuguese. restaurant. Hours: Su-Th 12:00-23:00; Fr 12:00-23:30; Sa 11:30-23:30
Clifton Way, Cambridge, CB1 7DY
About 8 km away
Nadia's Café
Coffee shop, turkish, breakfast, ice cream, cake. cafe. Hours: Mo-Fr 07:00-17:00; Sa 08:00-17:00; Su 10:00-16:00
29 High Street, Harston, CB22 7PX
About 9 km away
Sports and clubs
Hills Road Sports & Tennis Centre
Tennis, badminton, basketball, soccer, netball, cricket nets, pickleball, racquet, squash, table tennis, volleyball. Sports centre. Hours: Mo-Fr 07:00-22:30; Sa-Su 08:00-21:00; PH 08:00-16:00
Purbeck Road, CB2 8PF
About 8 km away
Clip 'n Climb
Climbing. Sports centre
34 Clifton Road Industrial Estate, Cambridge, CB1 7ED
About 8 km away
F45 Training
Exercise, fitness. Fitness centre
60 Station Road, Cambridge, CB1 2JH
About 9 km away
Abbey Leisure Centre
Sports centre. Hours: Mo-Fr 06:30-21:30; Sa-Su 08:00-18:00
Pool Way, Cambridge, CB5 8NT
About 9 km away
Rainbow Rocket Central
Climbing. Sports centre. Hours: Mo,Tu,Th,Fr 12:00-22:00; We 08:00-22:00; Sa-Su,PH 09:00-19:00
48 Clifton Road Industrial Estate, Cambridge, CB1 7ED
About 8 km away
The Gym Group
Fitness centre. Hours: 24/7
Cambridge Retail Park, Cambridge, CB5 8JL
About 10 km away
Sawston Church Institute Snooker and Billiards Club
Snooker. Sport club
101 High Street
About 3 km away
Frank Lee Leisure and Fitness Centre
Sports centre
Keith Day Road, Cambridge, CB2 0SN
About 7 km away
Fishing spots and tackle shops
Driving schools
Community and support groups
"twelve"
Community centre. Hours: Mo 14:00-16:30; Tu,Th,Fr 09:30-16:30; Sa 09:30-12:30
15 High Street, South Cambridgeshire, CB21 5DH
About 6 km away
Chesterfords Community Centre
Community centre
Newmarket Road, Uttlesford, CB10 1NS
About 7 km away
Mill Road Community Centre
Community centre
6 Hazell Street, Cambridge, CB1 2GN
About 9 km away
Marleigh Community Centre
Community centre. Hours: 24/7
2 Jubilee Square, Cambridge, CB5 8UW
About 9 km away
Memorial Hall
Community centre. Hours: "the Hall is hired and used by various groups at different times. Some groups are open to the public, others private"
Woollards Lane, South Cambridgeshire, CB22 5LZ
About 5 km away
Barbers and hair specialists
Hot towel and traditional shaves
Istanbul Barbers
Hairdresser. Hours: Mo-Sa 09:00-19:00; Su 09:00-17:00
192 Mill Road, Cambridge, CB1 3LP
About 9 km away
Barbers and salons
Rio Salon & Barber
Hairdresser. Hours: Tu,Th-Sa 09:00-17:00; Mo,We 10:00-17:00
12 The Broadway, Cambridge, CB1 3AH
About 9 km away
Urban Hair
Hairdresser
42 Burleigh Street, Cambridge, CB1 1DJ
About 10 km away
Jagged Edge Barbers
Hairdresser. Hours: Mo-Fr 10:00-19:00, Sa 08:30-17:00, Su 10:30-16:00
About 10 km away
Cinemas and libraries
Cherry Hinton Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi. Hours: Mo 15:00-18:00; Tu off; We,Fr 09:00-17:00; Th 09:00-13:00; Sa 10:00-14:00; Su off
High Street, Cambridge, CB1 9HZ
About 7 km away
Arts Picturehouse
Cinema. Hours: "depends on the showings"
38-39 Saint Andrew's Street, Cambridge, CB2 3AR
About 10 km away
Rock Road Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi. Hours: Mo 09:00-13:00; Tu 09:00-17:00; Th 09:00-17:00; Fr 03:00-18:00; Sa 10:00-14:00
Rock Road, Cambridge, CB1 7UG
About 8 km away
The Light Cinema
Cinema. Hours: Mo-Su,PH 10:00-23:00+
Clifton Way, Cambridge, CB1 7DY
About 8 km away
Barnwell Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi. Hours: Tu,We 10:00-17:00; Th,Fr 14:00-17:00; Sa 10:00-13:00
49 Barnwell Road, Cambridge, CB5 8RG
About 9 km away
Emmanuel College Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi
Camden Court, Cambridge, CB1 1JH
About 10 km away
Pembroke College Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi
The Avenue, Cambridge, CB2 1RF
About 10 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 Babraham
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