Settling in · Ballymena
Landing in Ballymena? Start here.
The first fortnight in Ballymena, 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
41 places in Ballymena 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
Ballymena Methodist Church
Christian, Methodist
Ballymoney Road, Ballymena, BT43 5BY
Ballymena Elim
Christian, Elim pentecostal
42 Castle Street, Ballymena, BT43 7BT
Ballymena Baptist Church
Christian, Baptist
18-22 Mount Street, Ballymena, BT43 6DX
High Kirk Presbyterian Church
Christian, Presbyterian
65-71 Thomas Street, Ballymena, BT43 6AZ
Ballee Presbyterian Church
Christian, Presbyterian
Old Antrim Road, Ballymena, BT42 2HG
About 2 km away
Ballyloughan Presbyterian Church
Christian, Presbyterian
Doury Road, Ballymena, BT43 6JB
About 2 km away
Hillside Community Church
Christian, Independent
Dunvale Ballymena, BT43 6SA
About 2 km away
First Ballymena Presbyterian Church
Christian, Presbyterian
Meetinghouse Lane, Ballymena, BT43 6DG
Covenant Protestant Reformed Church
Christian, Protestant reformed
83 Clarence Street, Ballymena, BT43 5DR
Iglesia ni Cristo
Iglesia ni Cristo, Ballymena
In the area
28 Henry Street, Ballymena, Northern Ireland, BT42 3AH
Worship services: Fri 8:30pm · Sun 11:00am (Tagalog) · Sun 1:15pm (children)
Iglesia ni Cristo, Belfast
About 38 km away
2-4 University Avenue Belfast, BT7 1GY
Worship services: Thu 6:00pm · 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
Golden Palace
Chinese. restaurant. Hours: Mo-Su 16:30-23:00
Lower Mill Street, Ballymena, BT43 5AX
Sports and clubs
Community and support groups
Ballykeel Youth and Community Centre
Community centre
Crebilly Road, Ballymena, BT42 4DN
About 2 km away
Barbers and hair specialists
Hot towel and traditional shaves
Kurdish Barbers Ballymena
Hairdresser. Hours: Mo-Th,Sa 09:00-18:00; Fr 09:00-19:00; Su 11:00-17:00
23 Wellington Street, Ballymena, BT43 6AH
Barbers and salons
Julies Hair & Barber Studio
Hairdresser. Hours: Mo-Fr 08:00-17:00
4 The Diamond, Ahoghill, BT42 1JZ
About 6 km away
Cinemas and libraries
Ballymena Central Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi
5 Pat's Brae, Ballymena, BT43 5AX
Broughshane Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi
Main Street, Broughshane, BT42 4JW
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 Ballymena
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