Settling in · Lancaster
Landing in Lancaster? Start here.
The first fortnight in Lancaster, 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
96 places in Lancaster 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
Wesley Methodist Church
Christian, Methodist
Middleton Road, Heysham, LA3 2QE
About 6 km away
The Salvation Army
Christian, Salvation army
20 Preston Street, Carnforth, LA5 9BY
About 9 km away
Mosques and prayer rooms
Other places of worship
Iglesia ni Cristo
Iglesia ni Cristo, Blackpool
About 29 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
Bargain Booze
Convenience, alcohol. Hours: 08:00-20:00
233 Westminster Road, Lancaster, LA3 1EP
About 5 km away
Lancaster Halal Store
Convenience. Hours: Sa-Th 08:00-20:00; Fr 08:00-21:00
7 Rosemary Lane, Lancaster, LA1 1NR
K. F. Oriental Food Supermarket
Supermarket. Hours: Mo,We-Sa 09:30-21:00; Tu 09:30-20:00; Su 11:00-20:00
19-21 Common Garden Street, Lancaster, LA1 1XD
Polski Sklep
Convenience. Hours: Mo-Th,Sa 09:00-18:00; Fr 09:00-19:00; Su 10:00-16:00
43 Yorkshire Street West, Morecambe, LA3 1QF
About 5 km away
Food and takeaways
Nando's
Chicken, portuguese. restaurant
13 Market Street, Lancaster, LA1 1HZ
Lancaster Food Court
Pizza, kebab, burger, fried chicken. takeaway
71 North Road, Lancaster, LA1 1LU
Flames
Pizza, burger, chicken, kebab. takeaway
1-2 Rosemary Lane, Lancaster, LA1 1NH
German Doner Kebab
Kebab. takeaway. Hours: Mo-Su 11:00-23:00
112 Penny Street, Lancaster, LA1 1XT
Paradise
Chinese. takeaway. Hours: Mo, We-Th, Su 17:00-22:30; Fr-Sa 17:00-23:00
45 Ullswater Road, Lancaster, LA1 3PS
Masala
Indian. takeaway. Hours: Mo-Su 17:00-23:00
6 Clarence Street, Lancaster, LA1 3BG
Fired Wok
Chinese. takeaway. Hours: Tu-Su 17:00-22:00; Mo off
98 Prospect Street, Lancaster, LA1 3BH
Jasmine Garden
Chinese. takeaway. Hours: Tu-Su 16:30-23:00
2 Newsham Road, Lancaster, LA1 4DG
About 2 km away
Far Pavilion
Indian. restaurant. Hours: Mo-Th 12:00-14:00,17:00-23:00; Fr-Sa 12:00-14:00,17:00-24:00; Su 12:00-23:00
25 Bye-Pass Road, Bolton Le Sands, LA5 8JA
About 6 km away
Trung's Chinese & Vietnamese
Chinese, vietnamese. restaurant
4 Main Road, Bolton Le Sands, LA5 8DH
About 7 km away
Sports and clubs
Salt Ayre Leisure Centre
Soccer, tennis, swimming. Sports centre
Doris Henderson Way, Lancaster, LA1 5JS
Caton Sports Association
Soccer, cricket. Sport club
2 Hornby Road, Caton, LA2 9QS
About 6 km away
Basketball court
Basketball. Pitch
Multi-Use Games Area
Soccer, basketball, multi. Pitch
Fishing spots and tackle shops
Trev's Fishing Tackle
Tackle shop, and the place to ask where to fish and about permits
Pedder Street, Morecambe, LA4 5EA
About 5 km away
Troutflies UK
Tackle shop, and the place to ask where to fish and about permits
Marine Road Central, Morecambe
About 5 km away
Rigkraft Bait Shack
Tackle shop, and the place to ask where to fish and about permits
7-9 Lancashire Street, Morecambe, LA4 4EY
About 5 km away
Gerry's Fishing
Tackle shop, and the place to ask where to fish and about permits. Hours: Mo-Sa 09:00-17:15; Su 09:00-15:00
Marine Road West, Morecambe, LA4 4EU
About 5 km away
Days out and things to do
Carnforth Station Heritage Centre
Museum. Hours: Mo-Sa 11:00-15:00; Su off
Warton Road, Carnforth, LA5 9TR
About 9 km away
Sport Lancaster Climbing Wall
Sports centre. Hours: Mo,Tu,Th,Fr 08:00-22:00; We 08:00-13:00,17:00-22:00; Sa 08:00-18:00; Su 09:00-15:30
About 4 km away
Driving schools
Community and support groups
The Gregson
Community centre. Hours: Mo-Fr 10:00-23:00; Sa-Su 11:00-23:00
33-35 Moor Gate, LA1 3PY
Barton Road Community Centre
Community centre
Barton Road, Lancaster, LA1 4ER
About 2 km away
Old Free Grammar School
Community centre
St Michael's Lane, Bolton-le-Sands, LA5 8DP
About 6 km away
St Paul's Worship & Community Centre
Community centre. Hours: "By booking. Sunday service 11:15"
Hala Square, Lancaster, LA1 4RW
About 3 km away
The Church of the Ascension Community Centre
Community centre
Michaelson Avenue, Morecambe
About 3 km away
Barbers and hair specialists
Hot towel and traditional shaves
Istanbul Barbers
Hairdresser. Hours: Mo-Sa 09:00-18:00; Su 10:00-17:00
5 Rosemary Lane, Lancaster, LA1 1NR
Barbers and salons
AR Perfect Hair
Hairdresser. Hours: Tu-Fr 10:00-17:00; Sa 09:30-14:00
Nelson Street, Lancaster, LA1 1PT
Brooksy's
Hairdresser. Hours: Mo,Sa 08:00-14:00; Tu-Fr 08:30-18:30; Th 09:30-19:30; Su off
81 Ullswater Road, Lancaster, LA1 3PU
The Hair Spa
Hairdresser
3 Whin Drive, Bolton le Sands, LA5 8DB
About 7 km away
DF Studio
Hairdresser. Hours: Mo 09:00-14:30; Tu,Fr,Sa 09:00-17:00; We,Th 09:00-19:00
18 Dalton Square, Lancaster, LA1 1PL
Cinemas and libraries
Bolton-le-Sands Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi. Hours: Mo 09:00-14:00; Tu,Su off; We,Fr 09:00-17:00; Th 09:00-18:00; Sa 09:00-13:00
Main Road, Bolton Le Sands, LA5 8DN
About 6 km away
Lancaster Temporary Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi
White Cross Business Park, Lancaster
County Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi
Lancaster Road, Carnforth, LA5 9DZ
About 9 km away
Morecambe Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi. Hours: Mo,Th-Sa 09:00-17:00; Tu 13:00-19:00; We 09:00-13:00; Su off
Morecambe LA4 5DL
About 5 km away
Harold Bridges Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi
Heysham Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi
396 Heysham Road, Heysham, LA3 2BJ
About 6 km away
Lancaster University Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi. Hours: 24/7
About 5 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 Lancaster
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