Settling in · Hunstanton
Landing in Hunstanton? Start here.
The first fortnight in Hunstanton, 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
28 places in Hunstanton 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
Union Church
Christian, Baptist, united reformed
2 Sandringham Road, King's Lynn and West Norfolk, PE36 5BN
Catholic Church of Our Lady and Saint Edmund
Christian, Catholic
Sandringham Road, King's Lynn and West Norfolk, PE36 5DR
Sain Mary's Church
Christian, Anglican. Hours: Mo-Su 09:00-18:00; Dec-Feb Mo-Su 09:00-sunset
Kirkgate Street, King's Lynn and West Norfolk, PE36 6LH
About 4 km away
All Saints
Christian, Anglican
Church Street, King's Lynn and West Norfolk, PE36 6NB
About 7 km away
Saint Mary's Church Hall
Christian, Evangelical
36 Station Road, King's Lynn and West Norfolk, PE31 7QH
About 7 km away
Saint Peter and Saint Paul
Christian, Anglican
Vicarage Lane, King's Lynn and West Norfolk, PE31 6RY
About 9 km away
Saint Mary the Virgin
Christian, Anglican
Chequers Street, King's Lynn and West Norfolk, PE31 8LJ
About 10 km away
Primitive Methodist Chapel
Christian, Methodist
High Street, King's Lynn and West Norfolk, PE36 6JZ
About 7 km away
The nearest Iglesia ni Cristo to Hunstanton
Iglesia ni Cristo, Watton
About 51 km away
CWS venue, Frettenham Village hall, & AWS, Thompson Community Hall, Thompson, Thetford, England, IP24 1PY
Worship services: Wed 7:30pm · Sun 10:00am · Sun 12:15pm (children)
Iglesia ni Cristo, Norwich
About 61 km away
Frettenham Village hall, Church road, Norwich, NR12 7NN, England
Worship services: Wed 7:30pm · Sun 10:00am · Sun 12:15pm (children)
Iglesia ni Cristo, Peterborough
About 70 km away
Colonel Dane Memorial Hall, Church Street, Alwalton, Peterborough, PE73UU
Worship services: Wed 7:45pm · Sat 7:00pm
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
Food and takeaways
Spice Garden
Indian. restaurant
14 High Street, King's Lynn and West Norfolk, PE31 7ER
About 3 km away
Community and support groups
Thornham Village Hall and Sports Pavilion
Community centre
High Street, King's Lynn and West Norfolk, PE36 6LX
About 6 km away
Hunstanton Community Centre
Community centre
Avenue Road, King's Lynn and West Norfolk, PE36 5BW
Ringstead Village Hall
Community centre
High Street, King's Lynn and West Norfolk, PE36 5JU
About 3 km away
Old Hunstanton Village Hall
Community centre
36 Old Hunstanton Road, King's Lynn and West Norfolk, PE36 6HS
About 2 km away
Holme Village Hall
Community centre
Kirkgate Street, King's Lynn and West Norfolk, PE36 6LH
About 4 km away
Sedgeford Village Hall
Community centre
Jarvie Close, King's Lynn and West Norfolk, PE36 5NG
About 5 km away
Barbers and hair specialists
Hot towel and traditional shaves
Barbers and salons
Cutting Crew
Hairdresser
45 Lynn Road, King's Lynn and West Norfolk, PE31 7LR
About 7 km away
Le Kiera
Hairdresser
Beach Road, King's Lynn and West Norfolk, PE31 7FR
About 7 km away
Cinemas and libraries
Hunstanton Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi
Valentine Road, King's Lynn and West Norfolk, PE36 5HH
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 Hunstanton
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