Settling in · Kingsbury
Landing in Kingsbury? Start here.
The first fortnight in Kingsbury, 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
67 places in Kingsbury 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
Glascote Methodist Church
Christian, Methodist
Neville Street, Tamworth, B77 2BA
About 7 km away
Elim Church
Christian, Pentecostal
Bamford Street, Tamworth, B77 2AT
About 7 km away
St Editha's Church
Christian, Anglican
Church Street, Tamworth, B79 7BX
About 8 km away
Saint John The Baptist Church
Christian, Catholic
8 St John Street, B79 7EX
About 8 km away
St Johns Church
Christian, Anglican
4 Walmley Road, Sutton Coldfield, B76 1QN
About 9 km away
England Birmingham Mission
Christian, Mormon. Hours: Mo-Fr 10:00-21:00
187 Penns Lane, Sutton Coldfield, B76 1JU
About 9 km away
Church of the Resurrection
Christian, Anglican
Heanley Lane, North Warwickshire, CV9 2HZ
About 3 km away
Iglesia ni Cristo
Iglesia ni Cristo, Birmingham
About 24 km away
2 Causeway Green Road Oldbury, West Midlands B68 8LD
Worship services: Wed 7:00pm · Sat 10:00am · Sat 12:30pm (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
Food and takeaways
Miah Takeaway
Indian. restaurant. Hours: Mo 17:30-23:00; We-Sa 17:30-23:00; Su 17:30-22:30
231A Glascote Road, Tamworth, B77 2AZ
About 7 km away
Dragon Court Chinese Takeaway
Chinese. restaurant
9 St Mary's Way, Glascote, Tamworth, B77 3EY
About 7 km away
Joba's Takeaway
Indian. takeaway. Hours: Mo-Th 17:00-00:30, Fr-Sa 17:00-01:45, Su 17:00-00:30
81b Bolebridge Street, Tamworth, B79 7PD
About 8 km away
Monsoon
Indian. restaurant
36 Market Street, Tamworth, B79 7LR
About 8 km away
Blue Water
Indian. restaurant. Hours: Mo-Su 17:30-23:30
11 Silver Street, Tamworth, B79 7NH
About 8 km away
China Palace
Chinese. restaurant. Hours: Mo-Th 17:00-23:40, Fr-Sa 17:00-01:40, Su 17:00-23:40
70 Church Street, Tamworth, B79 7DQ
About 8 km away
China Aroma Chinese Takeaway
Chinese. restaurant
68-69 Church Street, Tamworth, B79 7DQ
About 8 km away
The Royal Bengal
Indian. restaurant. Hours: Mo-Th 17:30-23:30, Fr-Sa 17:30-01:00, Su 17:30-23:30
104a Lichfield Street, B79 7QB
About 8 km away
TukTuk
Indian. restaurant. Hours: Mo-Th 17:30-23:30, Fr-Sa 17:30-00:00, Su 17:30-23:30
Aldergate Tamworth, B79 7DD
About 8 km away
Rayu
Asian. takeaway. Hours: Mo-Su 17:00-22:30
29 Lower Gungate, Tamworth, B79 7AT
About 8 km away
Champagne
Indian. restaurant. Hours: Mo-Su 17:30-23:30
7a Aldergate, B79 7DL
About 8 km away
Delhi Divan
Indian. restaurant. Hours: Mo-Su 17:30-23:30
18 Lower Gungate, Tamworth, B79 7AL
About 8 km away
Sports and clubs
Tamworth Boxing Club
Boxing. Sport club
Orchard Street, Tamworth, B79 7RH
About 8 km away
Tamworth Rugby Union Football Club
Sport club. Hours: Mo 17:00-22:00; Tu 18:00-20:00, We-Th 18:00-22:00, Fr 17:00-23:30, Sa 12:00-00:00, Su 12:00-23:00
Solway Close, Tamworth, B79 8ED
About 9 km away
Sports Hall
Table tennis, basketball, badminton, fitness, multi. Sports centre. Hours: Mo-Fr 08:00-17:00
Sutton Coldfield
About 9 km away
ForceField
Rugby, rugby union, rugby league. Fitness centre. Hours: Mo-Su 09:00-19:00
184 Walmley Road, Sutton Coldfield, B76 2PY
About 8 km away
CrossFit Tamworth
Fitness centre
107 (Units 10-11), Kettlebrook Road, Tamworth, B77 1AG
About 7 km away
Snowdome
Skiing, swimming, climbing. Sports centre
Riverdrive Tamworth, B79 7ND
About 7 km away
Bannatyne Health Club
Fitness centre. Hours: Mo-Fr 06:00-22:00; Sa-Su 08:00-20:00
Bonehill Road, Tamworth, B78 3HQ
About 7 km away
Tamworth Indoor Bowls Club
Sport club
Eagle Drive, Tamworth, B77 4EG
About 7 km away
YogoJo
Yoga. Fitness centre. Hours: Mo-Su 10:00-20:00
184 Walmley Road, Sutton Coldfield, B76 2PY
About 8 km away
Days out and things to do
Community and support groups
Tamworth Enterprise Centre
Community centre. Hours: Mo-Fr 09:00-19:00, Sa 09:00-17:00, Su closed
Corporation Street, B79 7DN
About 8 km away
Tamworth Youth & Community Centre
Community centre
Spinning School Lane, B79 7BD
About 8 km away
Wilnecote Parish Hall
Community centre
40 Watling Street, Tamworth, B77 5AD
About 5 km away
Harvest Fields Centre
Community centre
Harvest Fields Way, Sutton Coldfield, B75 5TJ
About 9 km away
Baddesley Ensor Village Hall
Community centre
Keys Hill, North Warwickshire, CV9 2DF
About 6 km away
Barbers and hair specialists
Barbers and salons
Monroes Hair Boutique
Hairdresser. Hours: Tu 09:00-17:00, We-Th 09:00-18:00, Fr 19:00-16:00, Sa 09:00-17:00
334 Tamworth Road, Tamworth, B77 1DH
About 6 km away
Cuts 'n' Clippers
Hairdresser. Hours: Mo-Th 09:30-18:00, Fr 09:30-19:00, Sa 09:00-17:00, Su closed
133 Amington Road, Tamworth, B77 3LW
About 8 km away
Kings Barber
Hairdresser. Hours: Mo closed, Tu-Sa 10:00-17:00, Su closed
31 Market Street, B79 7LR
About 8 km away
Urban Hair
Hairdresser
4 Little Church Lane, Tamworth, B79 7AX
About 8 km away
Utopia
Hairdresser. Hours: Mo closed, Tu-We 09:30-18:00, Th-Fr 09:30-20:00, Sa 09:00-16:30, Su closed
93 Lichfield Street, B79 7QF
About 8 km away
Laura James Hair
Hairdresser. Hours: Mo closed, Tu 09:00-18:00, We 09:00-15:00, Th-Fr 09:00-19:00, Sa 09:00-17:00, Su closed
8 Aldergate, B79 7DL
About 8 km away
Eclips Hair and Beauty
Hairdresser
21 St Mary's Way, Tamworth, B77 3EY
About 7 km away
Cinemas and libraries
Tamworth Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi. Hours: Mo-Tu 08:30-19:00, We-Fr 08:30-18:00, Sa 09:00-16:00, Su closed
Corporation Street, Tamworth, B79 7DW
About 8 km away
Water Orton Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi
Mickle Meadow, North Warwickshire, B46 1SN
About 7 km away
Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi. Hours: Tu,Th,Fr 09:30-13:00, Th,Fr 14:00-18:00, Fr 09:30-13:00, Tu 14:00-19:00, Sa 09:30-13:00
Bridge Street, Tamworth, B78 1DT
About 8 km away
Castle Vale Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi. Hours: Mo-Th 09:00-13:00, 14:00-17:00
10 High Street, Birmingham, B35 7PR
About 9 km away
Walmley Library & Community Hall
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi
Walmley Road, Sutton Coldfield, B76 1NP
About 9 km away
Warwickshire Library & Information Service
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi. Hours: Mo,Fr 09:30-16:00; Tu,We 09:30-17:00; Th,Sa 09:30-13:00
Long Street, North Warwickshire, CV9 1FG
About 9 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 Kingsbury
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