Settling in · Eastbourne
Landing in Eastbourne? Start here.
The first fortnight in Eastbourne, 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
58 places in Eastbourne 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.
Nothing nearby matches that yet. Try a shorter word.
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
Word of Life Christian Centre
Christian, Pentecostal
Corporation Road, Darlington, DL3 6AS
About 2 km away
St Michael's Church
Christian, Anglican, methodist
East Green, Heighington, DL5 6PP
About 10 km away
Seventh Day Adventist Church
Christian, Seventh day adventist
Hird Street, Darlington, DL1 5LF
Church of St. John the Baptist
Christian, Anglican
Neasham Hill, Neasham, DL2 1PN
About 5 km away
Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses
Christian, Jehovahs witness
Salters Lane South, Darlington, DL1 2AN
About 2 km away
St Mary the Virgin, Eryholme
Christian, Anglican
Eryholme Lane, Dalton-on-Tees, DL2 2PF
About 6 km away
The nearest Iglesia ni Cristo to Eastbourne
Iglesia ni Cristo, North Shields
About 54 km away
1A Stormont Street, North Shields, Tyne and Wear, NE29 OEY
Worship services: Thu 7:00pm · Sun 10:00am · Sun 12:00pm (children)
Iglesia ni Cristo, Leeds
About 77 km away
Monk Bridge Road, Meanwood, Leeds West Yorkshire, England, LS6 4HH
Worship services: Thu 7:00pm · Sun 11:00am · Sun 1:00pm (children)
Iglesia ni Cristo, Doncaster
About 114 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
Chinese Grocery
Supermarket
International Food Centre
Convenience
Food and takeaways
Sports and clubs
Darlington Cricket Club
Cricket. Sports centre
South Terrace, Darlington, DL1 5JD
About 2 km away
Darlington Railway Athletic Football Club
Soccer. Sports centre
Brinkburn Road, Darlington, DL3 9LF
About 3 km away
New Blackwell Lawn Tennis Club
Tennis. Sports centre
Carmel Grove, Blackwell, DL3 8EQ
About 3 km away
Fishing spots and tackle shops
Tony's Tackle
Tackle shop, and the place to ask where to fish and about permits
Days out and things to do
Driving schools
Community and support groups
Willow Road Community Centre
Community centre
Willow Road, Darlington, DL3 6PZ
About 3 km away
Middleton St George Community Centre
Community centre
Station Road, Middleton One Row, DL2 1JG
About 4 km away
Hurworth Grange Community Centre
Community centre
Croft Road, Hurworth-on-Tees, DL2 2JF
About 4 km away
Barbers and hair specialists
Hot towel and traditional shaves
Barbers and salons
Hannah Clare Aesthetics and Training Academy
Hairdresser
1 North Eastern Terrace, Darlington, DL1 5LL
Cinemas and libraries
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 Eastbourne
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