Settling in · Branston
Landing in Branston? Start here.
The first fortnight in Branston, 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
60 places in Branston 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
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Christian. Hours: Su 09:00-14:00
Spring Terrace Road, East Staffordshire, DE15 9DU
About 3 km away
Short Street Methodist Church
Christian, Methodist
Short Street, East Staffordshire, DE15 9LS
About 2 km away
St Michael and All Angels
Christian, Anglican
Main Street, East Staffordshire, DE13 9SD
About 3 km away
Horninglow Christian Spiritualist Church
Christian, Spiritualist
Farm Road, East Staffordshire, DE13 0XQ
About 4 km away
Mosques and prayer rooms
Iglesia ni Cristo
Iglesia ni Cristo, Nottingham
About 34 km away
Leyton Crescent Beeston, Nottingham NG9 1PR
Worship services: Tue 7:00pm · Fri 7:00pm
Iglesia ni Cristo, Birmingham
About 41 km away
2 Causeway Green Road Oldbury, West Midlands B68 8LD
Worship services: Wed 7:00pm · Sat 10:00am · Sat 12:30pm (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
Food and takeaways
Apne
Indian. restaurant
43A Cross Street, East Staffordshire, DE14 1EF
About 2 km away
Exquisite
Indian. restaurant
78 Station Street, East Staffordshire, DE14 1BT
About 2 km away
Indian Palace
Indian. restaurant
99 Woodland Road, South Derbyshire, DE15 9TJ
About 4 km away
Waterside Thai
Thai. restaurant
Barton under Needwood FP 13, East Staffordshire, DE13 8DZ
About 5 km away
Balti Tower
Indian. restaurant
81-82 Station Street, East Staffordshire, DE14 1BT
About 2 km away
Nando's
Chicken, portuguese. restaurant
Guild Street, East Staffordshire, DE14 1NQ
About 2 km away
Bilash Spice
Indian. restaurant. Hours: Mo-Sa 18:00-23:30
James Brindley Way, East Staffordshire, DE13 0LB
About 5 km away
Little India
Indian. restaurant
52 Barton Gate, East Staffordshire, DE13 8AH
About 6 km away
Sunar Gow
Indian. restaurant. Hours: Mo-Sa 17:30-23:00; Su 17:30-10:30
Uttoxeter Road, Derby, DE65 5PT
About 9 km away
Sports and clubs
Burton Amateur Boxing Club
Boxing. Sports centre
Bradmore Road, East Staffordshire, DE13 0GH
About 3 km away
Meadowside Leisure Centre
Swimming, fitness. Sports centre
High Street, East Staffordshire, DE14 1TL
About 3 km away
Shredz Fitness Centre
Fitness centre
29 Swadlincote Road, South Derbyshire, DE11 8DE
About 8 km away
Community and support groups
Hilton Village Hall
Community centre. Hours: Mo-Fr 07:30-22:00; Sa,Su 09:00-22:00
Peacroft Lane, Derby, DE65 5GH
About 9 km away
Red Lion House
Community centre
Horninglow Road North, East Staffordshire, DE13 0RP
About 4 km away
Dethick Hall
Community centre
6 Manchester Lane, South Derbyshire, DE11 7BE
About 10 km away
Shobnall Community Centre
Community centre
Shobnall Road, East Staffordshire, DE13 9TN
About 2 km away
Grange Youth and Community Centre
Community centre
Grange Street, East Staffordshire, DE14 2EP
About 2 km away
Walton on Trent Village Hall
Community centre
Main Street, South Derbyshire, DE12 8LZ
About 4 km away
Barbers and hair specialists
Barbers and salons
The Gents Club Barbershop
Hairdresser. Hours: Mo-Fr 09:00-18:00; Sa 08:30-05:30; Su 10:00-16:00
166 Calais Road, East Staffordshire, DE13 0UW
About 4 km away
Gardners Hair and Barber
Hairdresser. Hours: Tu,Th 10:30-19:00; We,Fr 10:30-17:30; Sa 10:00-15:30; Mo,Su closed
Station Road, East Staffordshire, DE13 8DS
About 5 km away
Salon Seventeen
Hairdresser
17 High Street, South Derbyshire, DE11 0HX
About 6 km away
Cinemas and libraries
Swadlincote Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi. Hours: Mo-Sa 09:00-17:00
Civic Way, South Derbyshire, DE11 0AD
About 7 km away
Barton Under Needwood Community Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi
Dunstall Road, East Staffordshire, DE13 8AX
About 5 km away
Burton Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi
High Street, East Staffordshire, DE14 1AH
About 2 km away
Library and Information Centre
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi
Hartshorne Road, South Derbyshire, DE11 7HZ
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 Branston
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