Settling in · Leek
Landing in Leek? Start here.
The first fortnight in Leek, 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
54 places in Leek 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 Leek
Christian, Salvation army
Salisbury Street, Leek, ST13 5EE
Saint Luke's
Christian, Anglican
Leek Baptist Church
Christian, Baptist
Trinity Church
Christian
Saint Edward the Confessor
Christian, Anglican
All Saints' Church, Leek
Christian, Anglican
Friends Meeting House
Christian, Quaker
Iglesia ni Cristo
Iglesia ni Cristo, Manchester
About 42 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
Food and takeaways
Turkish Delight
Pizza, burger, kebab. takeaway. Hours: Su-Th 16:00-23:30; Fr-Sa 16:00-00:30
17 Haywood Street, Leek, ST13 5JW
Mehek
Indian, bangladeshi. restaurant
Ashbourne Road, Staffordshire Moorlands, ST13 7QN
About 7 km away
Moorland Balti
Indian. takeaway
The Mulberry Leaves
Burger, pizza, regional, chicken, american, tex-mex, indian, steak house. restaurant
Sports and clubs
Ball Haye Green Football Club
Soccer
Basketball court
Soccer, basketball. Pitch
Leek & District Shooting Centre
Shooting, shooting range. Sports centre
Thorncliffe Road, Staffordshire Moorlands, ST13 8TP
About 4 km away
Genetix Gym
Fitness centre
Leek Town FC
Stadium
Biddulph Valley Leisure Centre
Swimming. Sports centre
Thames Drive, Staffordshire Moorlands, ST8 7TD
About 10 km away
Community and support groups
@21 Young People's Place
Community centre
Cheddleton Community Centre
Community centre
Hollow Lane, Staffordshire Moorlands, ST13 7HP
About 5 km away
Wetley Rocks Village Hall
Community centre
Mill Lane, Staffordshire Moorlands, ST9 0BN
About 8 km away
Biddulph Moor Village Hall
Community centre
Hot Lane, Staffordshire Moorlands, ST8 7HR
About 8 km away
Moorlands Village Hall
Community centre
School Road, Staffordshire Moorlands, ST9 9JP
About 8 km away
Biddulph Youth Centre
Community centre
Church Road, Staffordshire Moorlands, ST8 7DD
About 10 km away
Kingsley Village Hall
Community centre
High Street, Staffordshire Moorlands, ST10 2AF
About 10 km away
Barbers and hair specialists
Curly and wavy hair
Curl Up & Dye
Hairdresser
Barbers and salons
Hair Design and Beauty
Hairdresser. Hours: Tu 09:00-17:00; We 09:00-15:00; Th 09:00-14:30; Fr 09:00-18:00; Sa 09:00-15:00
Smithfield Stoke on Trent, Leek, ST13 5JW
Maleroom Barbers
Hairdresser
Brotherhood Barbers
Hairdresser
Brontë's
Hairdresser
Fluid Hairdressing
Hairdresser
Nina Hair & Beauty
Hairdresser
House of Hair
Hairdresser
Squires of Leek
Hairdresser
Cinemas and libraries
Leek Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi
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 Leek
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