Settling in · Bulwell
Landing in Bulwell? Start here.
The first fortnight in Bulwell, 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
95 places in Bulwell 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
United Reformed Church Bulwell
Christian, United reformed
Broomhill Road, Nottingham, NG6 9GJ
About 2 km away
Our Lady of Perpetual Succour
Christian, Catholic
Nottingham NG6 9FN
About 2 km away
Salvation Army
Christian, Salvation army
397 Aspley Lane, Nottingham, NG8 5RR
About 4 km away
Nottingham Central Seventh-day Adventist Church
Christian, Seventh day adventist. Hours: We 19:30-21:00; Tu 10:00-16:00; Sa 09:00-11:00, 11:15-13:00, 16:30-18:30
St Ann's Well Road, St Ann's, Nottingham, NG3 1EJ
About 7 km away
Christ Citadel Christian Centre
Christian, Christ citadel. Hours: We,Fr 18:00-19:30; Su 10:00-12:00, 18:00-19:30
20 St Ann's Well Road, St Ann's, Nottingham, NG3 1EJ
About 7 km away
William Booth Memorial Halls
Christian, Salvation army
King Edward Street, Nottingham, NG1 1EU
About 7 km away
The Congregation of Yahweh
Christian
27a Carlton Road, Nottingham, NG3 2DG
About 7 km away
St. Mary & St. George's Coptic Orthodox Church
Christian, Coptic orthodox
Nottingham NG3 2FH
About 7 km away
Mosques and prayer rooms
Baitul Hafeez Mosque
Muslim, Ahmadiyya
308 Sneinton Dale, Nottingham, NG3 7DN
About 8 km away
Karimia Masjid & Institute
Muslim
141-143 Berridge Road Central, Nottingham, NG7 6HR
About 5 km away
Jamia Masjid Sultania And Education Centre
Muslim
54 Sneinton Dale, Nottingham, NG2 4HE
About 8 km away
Hindu temples
Shri Swaminarayan Mandir
Hindu
102-103 Palm Street, Nottingham, NG7 7HS
About 4 km away
Iglesia ni Cristo
Iglesia ni Cristo, Nottingham
About 9 km away
Leyton Crescent Beeston, Nottingham NG9 1PR
Worship services: Tue 7:00pm · Fri 7:00pm
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
Dammy's African & Caribbean Food Store
Convenience
3 Carlton Road, Nottingham, NG3 2DG
About 7 km away
Green Oranges Halal Supermarket
Supermarket
340-346 Radford Road, Nottingham, NG7 5GQ
About 4 km away
Wilok's International Food Stores
Convenience
217-219 Radford Road, Nottingham, NG7 5GT
About 5 km away
Ozan International Food Centre
Convenience. Hours: Mo-Th 07:00-24:00, Th,Fr 07:00-24:00+, Su 09:00-16:00+
586-588 Mansfield Road, Nottingham, NG5 2FS
About 5 km away
Deyi Oriental Supermarket
Convenience. Hours: Mo-Su 10:30-19:00
249-251 Ilkeston Road, Nottingham, NG7 3FX
About 6 km away
Hilltop News & Convenience Store
Newsagent
193-195 Nottingham Road, Nottingham, NG16 3GS
About 6 km away
Food and takeaways
Turquoise
Turkish. restaurant. Hours: Mo-Su 12:00-23:00
326-330 Hucknall Road, Nottingham, NG5 1FS
About 4 km away
Tipu Sultan
Indian, pakistani. restaurant. Hours: Mo-Fr 15:00-23:00; Sa-Su 10:00-23:00
482 Mansfield Road, Nottingham, NG5 2EL
About 5 km away
Gurkha Kitchen
Nepalese. restaurant
131 Glaisdale Drive West, Nottingham, NG8 4GY
About 5 km away
Tipoo
Kebab, burger, pizza, chicken. takeaway
60-62 Alfreton Road, Nottingham, NG7 3NN
About 6 km away
Tokyo Way
Japanese, chinese. takeaway. Hours: We-Mo 13:00-23:00; Tu off
8 Lenton Boulevard, Nottingham, NG7 2ES
About 7 km away
Nando's
Chicken, portuguese. restaurant. Hours: Mo-Su 11:30-22:00
12 Angel Row, Nottingham, NG1 6HL
About 7 km away
Ilkeston Kebabs
Kebab. takeaway. Hours: Mo,We-Th 16:30-23:30; Tu 16:30-23:15; Fr-Sa 16:30-00:30; Su 16:45-23:30
119 Cotmanhay Road, Ilkeston, DE7 8NZ
About 7 km away
Mowgli Street Food
Indian. restaurant. Hours: Mo-Th 11:30-22:00; Fr,Sa 11:30-22:30; Su 11:30-21:30
1 Stoney Street, Nottingham, NG1 1LG
About 7 km away
Oasis
Kebab, burger. takeaway
42 Bath Street, Nottingham, NG1 1DF
About 7 km away
Sarangchae
Korean. restaurant. Hours: Tu-Sa 11:30-15:00, 17:00-22:00
278-280 Huntingdon Street, Nottingham, NG1 3NA
About 7 km away
Sports and clubs
Meadow Lane Stadium
Soccer. Stadium
Meadow Lane, Nottingham, NG2 3HJ
About 8 km away
Langley Mill United Cricket Club
Cricket. Sports centre
Station Road, Nottingham, NG16 4BE
About 9 km away
Nottingham Outlaws
Rugby league. Sports centre
Lenton Lane, Nottingham, NG7 2SA
About 9 km away
Wash Meadows Basketball Facility
Basketball. Pitch
Rutland Street, Ilkeston, DE7 8GN
About 7 km away
Redhill Leisure Centre
Soccer, badminton, weightlifting. Sports centre
Redhill Road, Nottingham, NG5 8GX
About 5 km away
Eastwood Community Football Club
Soccer. Sports centre
Chewton Street, Nottingham, NG16 3HB
About 6 km away
Fishing spots and tackle shops
The Matchman Angling Centre
Tackle shop, and the place to ask where to fish and about permits
5 Bannerman Road, Nottingham, NG6 9JA
Driving schools
Community and support groups
Haywood Road Community Association
Community centre
46 Haywood Road, Nottingham, NG3 6AD
About 6 km away
Mowbray Court
Community centre
1 Mowbray Court, St Ann's, Nottingham, NG3 1LE
About 7 km away
Westdale Lane Community Centre
Community centre. Hours: Mo-Su 09:00-23:30
Westdale Lane West, Nottingham, NG3 6ES
About 7 km away
Top Valley Community Centre
Community centre
Top Valley Way, Top Valley, Nottingham, NG5 9DD
About 2 km away
Hucknall Young People's Centre
Community centre
69 Linby Road, Nottingham, NG15 7TX
About 4 km away
New Horizon Church Community Impact Centre
Community centre
Beauvale Nottingham, NG16 2EZ
About 6 km away
Vale Community Centre
Community centre
Wollaton Vale, Beechdale, Nottingham, NG8 2JA
About 6 km away
Barbers and hair specialists
Curly and wavy hair
Hot towel and traditional shaves
Istanbul Barbers
Hairdresser. Hours: Mo-Sa 09:00-18:00; Su 10:00-16:00
15-19 South Street, Ilkeston, DE7 5QT
About 8 km away
Barbers and salons
Hairport Barbershop
Hairdresser
Hurts Yard, Nottingham, NG1 6JD
About 7 km away
The Loft Salon
Hairdresser. Hours: Mo-Sa 10:00-17:00
11-13 Trinity Square, Nottingham, NG1 4AF
About 7 km away
Your Look Hair and Beauty Salon
Hairdresser
14-16 Wheeler Gate, Nottingham, NG1 2NB
About 7 km away
Genevieve's Hair Designs
Hairdresser
33 Alfreton Road, Nottingham, NG7 3JE
About 6 km away
Cinemas and libraries
Sherwood Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi. Hours: Mo 10:00-17:00, Tu 13:00-17:00, We 10:00-18:00, Th off, Fr 10:00-17:00, Sa 10:00-13:00, Su off, PH off
506 Mansfield Road, Nottingham, NG5 2FB
About 5 km away
Mapperley Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi. Hours: Mo 13:00-18:30; Tu,Th,Sa 09:30-13:00; We,Fr 14:00-17:00
454 Westdale Lane West, Nottingham, NG3 6DG
About 6 km away
Manuscripts and Special Collections
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi
Lenton Lane, Nottingham, NG7 2NR
About 8 km away
Gedling Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi. Hours: Tu 09:30-12:30; Th 16:00-18:00; Sa 09:30-13:00
Wollaton Avenue, Nottingham, NG4 4HX
About 8 km away
Hallward Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi. Hours: Mo-Fr 08:00-21:45, Sa 09:00-21:45, Su 09:30-21:45
Nottingham NG7 2RD
About 7 km away
Ilkeston Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi. Hours: Mo,We,Fr 09:00-17:00; Tu,Th 09:00-19:00; Sa 09:00-16:00
Market Place, Erewash, DE7 5RN
About 8 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 Bulwell
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