Settling in · Clay Cross
Landing in Clay Cross? Start here.
The first fortnight in Clay Cross, 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
73 places in Clay Cross 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 Salvation Army - Somercotes
Christian, Salvation army
1 Sleetmoor Lane, Amber Valley, DE55 1RB
About 10 km away
Alfreton New Life Church
Christian, Evangelical
Church Street, Alfreton, DE55 7AH
About 8 km away
St Thomas' Church
Christian, Anglican
Chatsworth Road, Chesterfield, S40 3AW
About 8 km away
The Salvation Army - Chesterfield
Christian, Salvation army
Foljambe Road, Chesterfield, S40 1NJ
About 8 km away
Wesley Methodist Church
Christian, Methodist
Ellesmere Avenue, Alfreton, DE55 7HW
About 8 km away
Salvation Army
Christian, Salvation army
124A Market Street, Alfreton, DE55 2EJ
About 8 km away
Swanwick Baptist Church
Christian, Baptist
Derby Road, Amber Valley, DE55 1BG
About 10 km away
Mosques and prayer rooms
Iglesia ni Cristo
Iglesia ni Cristo, Nottingham
About 31 km away
Leyton Crescent Beeston, Nottingham NG9 1PR
Worship services: Tue 7:00pm · Fri 7:00pm
Iglesia ni Cristo, Doncaster
About 44 km away
Flat 2, No. 9 Lawn Road Doncaster, South Yorkshire DN1 2JF, United Kingodm
Worship services: Wed 7:30pm · Sat 10:00am
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
Sports and clubs
SMH Group Stadium
Soccer. Stadium
1866 Sheffield Road, Chesterfield, S41 8NZ
About 10 km away
Lennon's Pool and Snooker
Snooker. Sports hall. Hours: Mo-Th 13:00-23:00; Fr 12:00-22:00; Sa 10:00-22:00; Su 12:00-21:00
16a Stephenson Place, Chesterfield, S40 1XL
About 8 km away
Beyond Nutrition
Fitness centre
328 Derby Road, Chesterfield, S40 2ES
About 6 km away
Nuffield Health Fitness & Wellbeing
Fitness centre
Derby Road, Chesterfield, S40 2EZ
About 7 km away
Queen's Park Sports Centre
Sports centre
Boythorpe Road, Chesterfield, S40 2NE
About 7 km away
Fishing spots and tackle shops
Driving schools
Community and support groups
Monkey Park
Community centre. Hours: We-Sa 10:30-14:30
128A Chester Street, Chesterfield, S40 1DN
About 8 km away
Loundsley Green Community Centre
Community centre
Cuttholme Road, Chesterfield, S40 4QU
About 9 km away
Stonebroom Village Hall
Community centre
Cleveland Road, North East Derbyshire, DE55 6LF
About 4 km away
Barbers and hair specialists
Hot towel and traditional shaves
Barbers and salons
ProCutz
Hairdresser. Hours: Mo-Tu 09:00-17:00; Th 10:00-19:00; Fr 09:00-18:00; Sa 08:00-14:00
5 Mansfield Road, Chesterfield, S41 0JB
About 6 km away
Cinemas and libraries
Huthwaite Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi. Hours: We,Sa 09:30-12:30; Th 14:00-17:00; Fr 14:00-17:30
Sutton Road, Ashfield, NG17 2NG
About 9 km away
Clay Cross Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi
Holmgate Road, North East Derbyshire, S45 9PZ
Holmewood Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi
Heath Road, North East Derbyshire, S42 5RA
About 5 km away
Skegby and Stanton Hill Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi
Mansfield Road, Ashfield, NG17 3EQ
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 Clay Cross
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