Settling in · Catshill
Landing in Catshill? Start here.
The first fortnight in Catshill, 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
87 places in Catshill 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 Rock Church
Christian
27-31 Lichfield Street, Walsall, WS1 1TJ
About 7 km away
Church of Saint Matthew
Christian, Anglican
Church Hill, Walsall, WS1 3DG
About 8 km away
Salvation Army
Christian, Salvation army
7 Anglesey Street, Hednesford, WS12 1AB
About 9 km away
St Martins Church
Christian, Anglican (inclusive evangelical). Hours: See website.
Walsall WS5 3DQ
About 7 km away
Mosques and prayer rooms
Shah Jalal Jami Masjid & Madrasah
Muslim, Sunni
48 Hart Street, Walsall, WS1 3PE
About 8 km away
Syeda Fatima Zahra Centre
Muslim, Sunni
15 Birchills Street, Walsall, WS2 8NF
About 8 km away
Masjid Ghausia Qasmia & Community Hub
Muslim, Sunni
34-38 Mount Street, Walsall, WS1 3PJ
About 8 km away
Jamia Masjid Ghausia & Community Centre
Muslim, Sunni
15 Birchills Street, Bloxwich, WS2 8NF
About 8 km away
Hindu temples
Iglesia ni Cristo
Iglesia ni Cristo, Birmingham
About 18 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
Lichfield Convenience
Alcohol. Hours: Mo-Sa 10:30-22:00; Su 12:00-21:00
149 Lichfield Road, Walsall, WS4 1HB
About 5 km away
Food and takeaways
Oodles
Chinese. restaurant. Hours: Mo-Su 11:00-23:00
44 High Street, Walsall, WS1 1QR
About 8 km away
Sultan's
Indian. restaurant
110 Caldmore Road, Walsall, WS1 3RB
About 8 km away
Nowka 71
Indian. restaurant
Lombard Street, Lichfield, WS13 6DR
About 8 km away
Paprika
Indian. restaurant
Tamworth Street, Lichfield, WS13 6JW
About 8 km away
Yaadgaar
Indian, dessert, asian, pizza. takeaway. Hours: Mo-Su 09:00-22:45
250 Wednesbury Road, Walsall, WS2 9QN
About 9 km away
Pleck Balti
Indian. restaurant. Hours: Mo-Su 18:00-22:30
301-303 Wednesbury Road, Walsall, WS2 9QJ
About 9 km away
Hong Kong
Chinese. restaurant. Hours: Tu closed, Fr-Sa 17:00-23:30, Mo,We-Th,Su 17:00-23:00
17 Anchor Road, Aldridge, Walsall, Aldridge, WS9 8PT
About 4 km away
Major Curry Affair
Indian. restaurant
3 Bridge Cross Road, Chase Terrace, WS7 2BJ
About 4 km away
Sports and clubs
Veseyans Rugby & Sports Club
Rugby
Little Hardwick Road, WS9 0SQ
About 6 km away
Stick and Wicket
Cricket, running, football, hockey, squash. Sport club
The Green, Aldridge, Walsall, WS9 8NH
About 4 km away
Fearless Boxing Academy
Boxing, muay thai. Fitness centre
Units 1-3, Wharf Street, Walsall, WS2 9ES
About 8 km away
Lichfield Rugby Club
Rugby union. Sport club
Lichfield WS14 9JE
About 9 km away
Willenhall Rugby Club
Rugby union. Sports centre
Bognop Road, South Staffordshire, WV11 2AZ
About 10 km away
Hawkins Sports & Social Club Sporting Grounds
Soccer. Sports centre
Hayes View Drive, South Staffordshire, WS6 7EX
About 8 km away
The Chase Sailing Club
Sailing. Sports centre
Pool Lane, Lichfield, WS7 3QY
About 3 km away
Chasewater Outdoor Education Centre
Multi. Sports centre
Pool Road, Burntwood, WS7 3QY
About 3 km away
Fishing spots and tackle shops
Community and support groups
Minster Hall
Community centre
Dam Street, Lichfield, WS13 6AE
About 8 km away
Street Teams
Community centre
51 Bradford Street, Bloxwich, WS1 3QD
About 8 km away
Curborough Community Centre
Community centre
37 Reynolds Close, Lichfield, WS13 7NY
About 9 km away
Harvest Fields Centre
Community centre
Harvest Fields Way, Sutton Coldfield, B75 5TJ
About 10 km away
Brownhills & Walsall Wood Fellowship Community Centre
Community centre
Beacon Way, Brownhills, WS9 9HZ
About 2 km away
Stonnall Youth & Community Education Centre
Community centre
Main Street, Lichfield, WS9 9EL
About 2 km away
Pelsall Scout & Guide Headquarters
Community centre
Clarendon Place, Walsall, WS3 4NL
About 4 km away
Barbers and hair specialists
Hot towel and traditional shaves
Barbers and salons
Anthony Edward Hair
Hairdresser. Hours: We-Fr 10:00-20:00; Sa 09:00-16:00
264 Lichfield Road, Sutton Coldfield, B74 2UH
About 9 km away
Cinemas and libraries
Lichfield Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi. Hours: Mo,We,Fr 08:30-17:00, Tu, Th 08:00-18:00, Sa 09:00-16:00, Su off
Market Square, Lichfield, WS13 6LG
About 8 km away
Norton Canes Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi
Burntwood Road, Cannock Chase, WS11 9RF
About 5 km away
Walsall Wood Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi
High Street, Brownhills, WS9 9LP
About 2 km away
Burntwood Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi
Bridge Cross Road, Lichfield, WS7 2BX
About 4 km away
Brownills Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi
Shenstone Community Library and Coffee Shop
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi
Main Street, Shenstone
About 6 km away
Streetly Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi. Hours: Tu-We 09:00-13:00,14:00-18:00; Fr 09:00-13:00,14:00-18:00; Sa 09:00-13:00,14:00-16:00
Blackwood Road
About 7 km away
Aldridge Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi. Hours: Tu-Fr 09:00-18:00, Sa 09:00-16:00, Su-Mo closed
About 4 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 Catshill
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