Settling in · Ilchester
Landing in Ilchester? Start here.
The first fortnight in Ilchester, 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
57 places in Ilchester 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 - Yeovil
Christian, Salvation army
Southville Yeovil, BA21 4JA
About 8 km away
Vicarage Street Methodist Church
Christian, Methodist
Vicarage Street, Yeovil, BA20 1JZ
About 8 km away
Mosques and prayer rooms
Yeovil Islamic Centre
Muslim, Sunni
79 Sherborne Road, Yeovil, BA21 4HE
About 8 km away
Iglesia ni Cristo
Iglesia ni Cristo, Gillingham, Dorset
About 31 km away
Salisbury st. Mere, Warminster, Wiltshire, BA12 6HA
Worship services: Thu 6:15pm · Sat 10:30am
Iglesia ni Cristo, Taunton
About 32 km away
Bishop's Hull Primary School, Bishop's Hull Hill, Bishop's Hull, Taunton, England, TA1 5EB
Worship services: Tue 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
Nando's
Chicken, portuguese. restaurant. Hours: Mo-Su 11:30-22:00
Old Station Road, Yeovil, BA20 1NB
About 8 km away
Spice Corner
Indian. takeaway
Sports and clubs
Basketball court
Basketball. Pitch
Nuffield Health Fitness & Wellbeing
Fitness centre
Yeo Leisure Park, Yeovil, BA20 1NP
About 8 km away
Westland Leisure Complex Sports Hall
Sports centre
Westbourne Grove, Yeovil, BA20 2DG
About 7 km away
Community and support groups
Abbey Manor Community Centre
Community centre
The Toose, Yeovil, BA21 3TL
About 6 km away
Stoke sub Hamdon Memorial Hall
Community centre
West Street, Stoke sub Hamdon, TA14 6PZ
About 7 km away
Keinton Mandeville Village Hall
Community centre
Chistles Lane, Keinton Mandeville, TA11 6FJ
About 8 km away
Barbers and hair specialists
Barbers and salons
Cinemas and libraries
Yeovil Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi. Hours: Mo,We,Fr 09:30-17:30; Tu,Th 09:30-18:00; Sa 09:30-16:00
King George Street, Yeovil, BA20 1PY
About 8 km away
Somerton Community Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi. Hours: Mo 14:00-17:00; Tu closed; We,Sa 10:00-13:00; Th,Fr 10:00-17:00
Cox's Yard, Somerton, TA11 7PR
About 7 km away
Martock Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi
North Street, Martock, TA12 6EH
About 7 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 Ilchester
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