Settling in · Blyth
Landing in Blyth? Start here.
The first fortnight in Blyth, 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
50 places in Blyth 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 John's Methodist Church
Christian, Methodist
Ilfracombe Gardens, North Tyneside, NE26 3ND
About 10 km away
St Edwards Church
Christian, Catholic
Coquet Avenue, North Tyneside, NE26 1EE
About 10 km away
Whitley Bay Baptist Church
Christian
Park Avenue, North Tyneside, NE26 1DX
About 10 km away
The Congregation Of Yahweh
Christian, Evangelical
6 Cramlington Terrace, Newsham, NE24 4AQ
About 2 km away
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Christian, Mormon
Blackclose Bank, Ashington, NE63 8TF
About 6 km away
St. Mary's Church
Christian, Anglican
Claremont Gardens, North Tyneside, NE26 3SF
About 9 km away
Friends Meeting House
Christian, Quaker
23 Front Street, North Tyneside, NE25 8AQ
About 10 km away
Monkseaton Methodist Church
Christian, Methodist
Front Street, North Tyneside, NE25 8AQ
About 10 km away
Iglesia ni Cristo
Iglesia ni Cristo, North Shields
About 14 km away
1A Stormont Street, North Shields, Tyne and Wear, NE29 OEY
Worship services: Thu 7:00pm · Sun 10:00am · Sun 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
Food and takeaways
Papa Ganoush
Indian. restaurant
240 Park View, North Tyneside, NE26 3QX
About 10 km away
Shaj Tandoori Restaurant
Indian. restaurant. Hours: Mo 17:30-10:30; Tu closed; We-Su 17:30-22:30
14-15 High Street, Newbiggin by the Sea, NE64 6DR
About 7 km away
Namaste
Indian. restaurant. Hours: 10:00-21:00; Mo off
195 Park View, North Tyneside, NE26 3RD
About 10 km away
Sports and clubs
Royal Northumberland Yacht Club
Sailing. Sports centre
West Pier, Newsham, NE24 3PB
Waves
Swimming. Sports centre
The Links, North Tyneside, NE26 1TQ
About 9 km away
Community and support groups
The Briardale Community Centre
Community centre
Briardale Road, Blyth, NE24 5AN
About 2 km away
East Bedlington Community Centre
Community centre
16-17 Station Street, Bedlington, NE22 7JN
About 4 km away
St Mary's Hall
Community centre
Claremont Gardens, North Tyneside, NE26 3SF
About 9 km away
South Beach Resident's Association & Community Centre
Community centre
Fulmar Drive, Newsham, NE24 3QF
About 2 km away
East Hartford & District Community Centre
Community centre
Scott Street, Cramlington, NE23 3AP
About 5 km away
Barbers and hair specialists
Barbers and salons
James Fulton Hair
Hairdresser
1 Park Road, North Tyneside, NE26 1LT
About 10 km away
Capello Hair Lounge
Hairdresser
2A Claremont Road, North Tyneside, NE26 3TW
About 9 km away
Clippers
Hairdresser. Hours: Tu-We 09:30-17:30; Th 09:30-18:30; Fr 09:30-17:30; Sa 09:00-15:00
57 Ilfracombe Gardens, North Tyneside, NE26 3SH
About 9 km away
Cinemas and libraries
Bedlington Station Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi
Melrose & Jubilee Terrace, Bebside, NE22 5UR
About 4 km away
Seaton Sluice Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi
Collywell Court, Newsham, NE26 4QY
About 5 km away
Bedlington Library and Community Hub
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi
Glebe Road, Bedlington, NE22 6JX
About 6 km away
Cramlington Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi
Forum Way, Cramlington, NE23 6YD
About 7 km away
John Wille Sams Centre
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi
Weetslade Road, North Tyneside, NE23 7FL
About 10 km away
Shiremoor Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi
Earsdon Road, North Tyneside, NE27 0GE
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 Blyth
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