Settling in · Hawkley
Landing in Hawkley? Start here.
The first fortnight in Hawkley, 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
79 places in Hawkley 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
St Vincent de Paul Catholic Church
Christian, Catholic. Hours: Th 11:30-11:50
179 Derbyshire Hill Road, St Helens, WA9 2LS
About 9 km away
St Helens Baptist Church
Christian, Baptist
Hall Street, St Helens, WA10 1EL
About 10 km away
St Helens Spiritualist Church
Christian
20-22 Charles Street, WA10 1LH
About 10 km away
Holy Cross and St Helen Catholic Church
Christian, Catholic
Corporation Street, St Helens, WA10 1EF
About 10 km away
Quaker Meeting House
Christian, Quaker. Hours: Su 10:30-12:00
20B George Street, St Helens, WA10 1BU
About 10 km away
Saint Peter's Church
Christian, Anglican
7 Epsom Street, St Helens, WA9 2DT
About 9 km away
RCCG Saints Parish St Helens
Hours: Tu 18:00-18:45; We 17:30-19:00; Su 10:00-12:30
25 Park Road, WA9 1DG
About 9 km away
St Mark's Church
Christian, Anglican. Hours: Su 11:00-12:00
162 North Road, WA10 2TZ
About 9 km away
Iglesia ni Cristo
Iglesia ni Cristo, Manchester
About 25 km away
101 Edge Lane, Stretford, Manchester, M32 8PU
Worship services: Tue 7:00pm · Sat 8:00am (Tagalog) · Sat 11:00am · Sat 1:00pm (children)
Iglesia ni Cristo, Liverpool
About 29 km away
St Laurence's School, St. Laurence Drive Birkenhead, England CH41 3JD
Worship services: Wed 7:00pm · Sun 11:00am
Iglesia ni Cristo, Blackpool
About 42 km away
Spencer Court Community Centre, Spencer Court, Blackpool, FY1 3TW, England
Worship services: Thu 6:00pm · Sun 11:00am
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
Go Local Extra (Miller Convenience)
Yes. Hours: Mo-Su 07:00-23:00
108 Parr Stocks Road, St Helens, WA9 1NZ
About 9 km away
Fresh Daily Halal Shop
Convenience. Hours: Mo-Su 09:00-22:00
30 Duke Street, WA10 2JP
About 10 km away
Quality Halal Butcher St Helens
Butcher. Hours: Mo-Sa 09:00-20:00; Su 10:00-20:00
82 Claughton Street, WA10 1SN
About 10 km away
Supreme Osagie Afro Caribbean Supermarket
Supermarket
100A Lord Street, Wigan, WN7 1AG
About 9 km away
Food and takeaways
India Lounge
Indian. restaurant. Hours: Mo-Th 17:30-22:30; Fr-Sa 17:30-23:30; Su 16:30-22:30
Vauxhall Road, Wigan, WN1 3LU
About 3 km away
Dim Sum + Kitchen
Chinese. restaurant. Hours: Th-Mo 12:00-15:00, 17:00-21:30
111 Park Road, St Helens, WA9 1ER
About 9 km away
Don Mario
Burger, kebab, pasta, pizza. takeaway. Hours: Su-Th 16:05-23:30; Fr-Sa 16:05-00:30
131 Higher Parr Street, St Helens, WA9 1DA
About 9 km away
King Wok
Chinese, noodles. takeaway. Hours: We-Mo 16:00-22:00
103 Higher Parr Street, St Helens, WA9 1AG
About 9 km away
Sabroso Tex-Mex
Mexican. takeaway. Hours: Mo-Su 16:00-22:00
23-27 George Street, St Helens, WA10 1DA
About 10 km away
Sports and clubs
HAMMA Academy of Sports and Martial Arts CIC
Fitness centre. Hours: Mo-Fr 06:00-21:00; Sa 10:00-16:00
20 North Road, WA10 2TJ
About 10 km away
Wigan Rugby Union Football Club
Rugby union. Sports centre
Wingates Road, Wigan, WN1 2SJ
About 5 km away
Lions Den Fitness Centre
Sport club
624 Wigan Road, Wigan, WN4 0BY
About 2 km away
Ashton Leisure Centre
Swimming. Sports centre
Old Road, Wigan, WN4 9TR
About 4 km away
Puddle Ducks Baby Swimming at Lansbury
Swimming. Sports centre. Hours: Mo-Su 08:30-17:30
47 Lansbury Avenue, St Helens, WA9 1TB
About 9 km away
Tumble Twist & Turn Gymnastics Club
Fitness centre. Hours: Mo 16:30-20:30; Tu 16:30-20:00; We 16:00-21:00; Th 16:30-20:00; Fr 16:00-20:30; Sa 09:00-12:00, 12:30-16:00; Su 09:00-18:00
34 Parr Street, WA9 1JZ
About 10 km away
Windle Bowling Club
Sports centre. Hours: Mo-Fr 19:30-23:00; Sa 14:00-23:00
Hard Lane, St Helens, WA10 6JT
About 10 km away
Capitol Squash Club
Sports centre. Hours: 24/7
20 Duke Street, WA10 2JP
About 10 km away
Hamma Fitness
Fitness centre. Hours: 24/7
Duke Street, WA10 2JB
About 10 km away
Days out and things to do
Driving schools
Ultima HGV Driver Training
Driving school. Hours: Mo-Fr 09:00-17:00
Washway Lane, St Helens, WA10 6PE
About 9 km away
DVSA Driving Test Centre - St Helens
Driving school. Hours: Mo-Fr 08:00-15:30
2 Navigation Road, St Helens, WA9 1NS
About 9 km away
Community and support groups
Seneley Green Community Hall
Community centre
Billinge Road, Wigan, WN4 0XD
About 4 km away
Seneley Green Parish Hall
Community centre
Montrey Crescent, Wigan, WN4 0UD
About 5 km away
Park Farm Community Centre
Community centre. Hours: Mo, We, Fr 09:00-18:00; Tu 09:00-20:00; Th 09:00-19:30
54 Kentmere Avenue, St Helens, WA11 7PG
About 7 km away
Rainford Village Hall
Community centre
34 Church Road, St Helens, WA11 8EZ
About 10 km away
Salisbury House
Community centre
1 Phoenix Brow, St Helens, WA9 1SA
About 10 km away
The Millenium Centre
Community centre. Hours: Mo-Su 08:00-20:00
Corporation Street, St Helens, WA10 1HJ
About 10 km away
Animate Youth Ministries
Community centre. Hours: Mo-Fr 09:00-17:00
Crab Street, WA10 2BE
About 10 km away
St Helens Sea Cadets
Community centre. Hours: Mo, Th 19:00-21:30
Mill Street, WA10 2BD
About 10 km away
Hilton Street Childcare and Community Centre
Community centre
Hilton Street, Wigan, WN4 8PD
About 4 km away
Quarry Bank Community Centre
Community centre
364 Ormskirk Road, West Lancashire, WN8 9AL
About 8 km away
Barbers and hair specialists
Hot towel and traditional shaves
Barbers and salons
HQ Barbers
Hairdresser. Hours: Tu-Th 09:00-18:00; Fr 09:00-19:00; Sa 09:00-16:00
6 North Road, WA10 2TL
About 10 km away
Classic Barber
Hairdresser. Hours: Mo-Sa 08:00-20:00; Su 08:00-18:00
113 Higher Parr Street, St Helens, WA9 1AG
About 9 km away
@FiftyEight
Hairdresser. Hours: We-Sa 09:00-17:00
58 Claughton Street, St Helens, WA10 1SN
About 10 km away
Camran Barber Shop
Hairdresser. Hours: Mo-Sa 09:00-18:00; Su 09:00-16:00
40 Baldwin Street, WA10 2RL
About 10 km away
George Street Barbers
Hairdresser. Hours: Mo, We-Fr 09:30-17:00; Tu 09:30-16:30; Sa 09:00-16:30
5 George Street, WA10 1DA
About 10 km away
Cinemas and libraries
Marsh Green Branch Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi
Harrow Road, Wigan, WN5 0QL
About 3 km away
Book-Cycle Beech Hill
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi. Hours: Mo-Fr 10:30-16:30; Sa 10:30-16:00; Su 12:00-15:00
Buckley Street West, Wigan, WN6 7PQ
About 3 km away
Shevington Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi. Hours: Mo-We,Sa 09:00-14:00; Th-Fr 12:00-17:00
Gathurst Lane, Wigan, WN6 8HA
About 6 km away
Golborne Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi. Hours: Mo-We 09:00-14:00; Th-Fr 12:00-17:00; Sa 09:00-14:00
Tanners Lane, Golborne, WA3 3AW
About 7 km away
Rainford Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi. Hours: Mo 13:00-19:00; Tu 13:00-17:00; Th 10:00-13:00; Fr 13:00-19:00; Sa 10:00-13:00
Church Road, St Helens, WA11 8HA
About 10 km away
Lucem House Community Cinema Plus+
Cinema
78 Corporation Street, WA10 1GQ
About 10 km away
Moss Bank Community Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi. Hours: Mo-Tu, Th-Fr 10:00-17:00
Kentmere Avenue, St Helens, WA11 7PQ
About 7 km away
Newton-le-Willows Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi
Crow Lane East, St Helens, WA12 9TU
About 8 km away
Winstanley College - The Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi. Hours: Mo-Fr 08:00-16:30
Winstanley Road, Wigan, WN5 7XD
About 4 km away
Ashton Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi
Wigan Road, Wigan, WN4 9BN
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 Hawkley
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