Settling in · Hockley
Landing in Hockley? Start here.
The first fortnight in Hockley, 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
70 places in Hockley 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 - Stockport Heaton Norris
Christian, Salvation army
Short Street, Stockport, SK4 1SX
About 9 km away
Marple Bridge United Reformed Church
Christian, United reformed
Hollins Lane, Stockport, SK6 5BB
About 7 km away
Romiley Methodist Church
Christian, Methodist
Stockport Road, Stockport, SK6 3AA
About 7 km away
St Mary's Methodist Church
Christian, Methodist
Wilmslow Road, Handforth, Wilmslow, SK9 3LF
About 8 km away
Tytherington Family Worship Church
Christian
Sandwich Drive, Tytherington, SK10 2UD
About 8 km away
St Michael's
Christian, Anglican
Market Place, Macclesfield, SK10 1HW
About 10 km away
Mosques and prayer rooms
Iglesia ni Cristo
Iglesia ni Cristo, Manchester
About 17 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)
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
Memories of India
Indian. restaurant. Hours: Mo-Su 17:00-22:00
37 Buxton Road, High Peak, SK23 7HT
About 8 km away
Elaf
Lebanese, syrian. restaurant. Hours: Mo-Th 16:00-22:00; Fr-Sa 12:00-22:00; Su 13:00-22:00
14-18 Jordangate, Macclesfield, SK10 1EW
About 10 km away
Spring Gardens
Chinese, fish and chips. takeaway
236 Hurdsfield Road, SK10 2PX
About 9 km away
Red Lantern
Chinese. restaurant. Hours: PH,Tu-Th,Su 16:30-21:30; Fr,Sa 16:30-22:30; Mo off
16 Hawthorn Street
About 9 km away
Sports and clubs
Stockport Cricket Club
Cricket, lacrosse, bowls. Sports centre
Beech Road, Stockport, SK3 8HD
About 6 km away
Ladybridge Connect
Cricket, soccer, lacrosse, bowls. Sports centre
Meadway Road, Stockport, SK8 5NZ
About 7 km away
Birch Vale and Thornsett Cricket Club
Cricket. Sports centre
Hayfield Road, High Peak, SK22 4QH
About 9 km away
Wilmslow Phoenix Sports Club
Soccer, lacrosse, cricket, field hockey. Sports centre
Styal Road, Styal, Wilmslow, SK9 4HP
About 9 km away
Cheadle (Kingsway) Sports Club
Cricket, tennis, lacrosse, bowls. Sports centre
225 Kingsway, Stockport, SK8 1LA
About 9 km away
Hyde Cricket & Squash Club
Cricket, squash. Sports centre
Werneth Low Road, Hyde, Stockport, SK14 3AA
About 10 km away
New Mills Bowls, Cricket & Tennis Club
Sports centre
Torrs Valley, High Peak, SK22 4NT
About 7 km away
Community and support groups
Footsteps
Community centre. Hours: Mo-Fr 09:30-15:30; Sa 09:30-14:30
14 Market Street, High Peak, SK23 7LP
About 8 km away
Cheadle & Gatley Conservative Club
Community centre
24 Stockport Road, Stockport, SK8 2AA
About 9 km away
Dean Row Village Hall
Community centre
Browns Lane, Dean Row, Wilmslow, SK9 2BR
About 7 km away
Abney Scout and Guide Centre
Community centre
Newland Road, Stockport, SK8 2BE
About 9 km away
Heaton Mersey Conservative Club
Community centre
444 Didsbury Road, Stockport, SK4 3BS
About 10 km away
Barbers and hair specialists
Hot towel and traditional shaves
Barbers and salons
Giovanni
Hairdresser. Hours: Mo 15:00-18:00; We-Fr 10:00-18:00; Sa 09:00-16:00; Tu off; Su 11:00-14:00 "Bookings only"
149 Buxton Road, High Peak, SK23 7JF
About 8 km away
Adeva Hairdressing
Hairdresser. Hours: Tu 09:00-17:00; We 09:00-18:00; Th 09:00-19:00; Fr 09:00-18:00; Sa 09:00-15:30
Old Road, High Peak, SK23 7HR
About 8 km away
David Anthony Hairdressing
Hairdresser. Hours: Mo-We,Fr 09:00-18:00; Th 09:00-19:00; Sa 09:00-17:00
2C Hawthorn Lane, SK9 1AA
About 9 km away
Flanagans
Hairdresser. Hours: Mo-We,Fr 09:00-18:00; Th 09:00-19:00; Sa 09:00-17:00
22A Water Lane, SK9 5AE
About 9 km away
Cinemas and libraries
Whaley Bridge Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi. Hours: Mo-We 14:00-17:00; Fr,Sa 09:30-13:00
21 Market Street, High Peak, SK23 7AA
About 8 km away
Hazel Grove Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi
Beech Avenue, Stockport, SK7 4QP
About 4 km away
Bramhall Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi
Bramhall Lane South, Stockport, SK7 2DU
About 4 km away
Heald Green Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi
Finney Lane, Stockport, SK8 3JB
About 9 km away
Macclesfield Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi. Hours: Mo 10:00-19:00; Tu-We 10:00-17:00; Th 10:00-19:00; Fr 10:00-13:00; Sa 09:00-13:00
Macclesfield SK10 1EE
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 Hockley
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