Settling in · Leven
Landing in Leven? Start here.
The first fortnight in Leven, 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
41 places in Leven 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
Wellesley Parish Church
Christian, Church of scotland
Wellesley Road, Methil, KY8 3PD
About 2 km away
Markinch Parish Church
Christian, Church of scotland
Kirk Street, Glenrothes, KY7 6DU
About 9 km away
St Agatha's Catholic Church
Christian, Roman catholic
Methilhaven Road, Methil, KY8 3HY
About 2 km away
Methilhill Parish Church
Christian, Church of scotland
Chemiss Road, Buckhaven, KY8 2EF
About 3 km away
Largo and Newburn Parish Church
Christian, Church of scotland
Church Place, Upper Largo, KY8 6EH
About 5 km away
Coaltown of Balgonie United Reformed Church
Christian, United reformed
Main Street, Coaltown of Balgonie, KY7 6HX
About 8 km away
St Margaret's Church
Christian, Church of scotland
Woodside Road, Glenrothes, KY7 5HD
About 10 km away
Iglesia ni Cristo
Iglesia ni Cristo, Edinburgh
About 28 km away
RCCG-Edinburgh Tabernacle Hall 41-42 Inverleith Gardens Ferry Road Edinburgh, Scotland EH3 5PR
Worship services: Wed 6:00pm · Sat 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
Food and takeaways
Udon Thai Street Food
Thai. restaurant. Hours: Mo-We off; Th-Su 16:00-21:00
3 Pearson Place, Methil, KY8 4FX
About 2 km away
Grace
Chinese. restaurant. Hours: Tu-Su 16:30-21:00
Balbirnie Street, Markinch, KY7 6DG
About 9 km away
Sports and clubs
Balbirnie Fitness Centre
Fitness centre. Hours: Mo-Th 06:00-22:00; Fr 06:00-21:00; Sa 08:00-17:00; Su 08:00-19:00
Woolmill Road, Markinch, KY7 5RF
About 9 km away
Community and support groups
Buckhaven Community Education Centre
Community centre
Kinnear Street, Buckhaven, KY8 1BH
About 4 km away
Miners' Welfare Institute Village Hall
Community centre
Main Street, Coaltown of Wemyss, KY1 4NP
About 8 km away
Queen Victoria Memorial Hall
Community centre
Main Street, Coaltown of Balgonie, KY7 6HS
About 8 km away
Barbers and hair specialists
Barbers and salons
Cinemas and libraries
Kennoway Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi. Hours: Mo 14:00-17:00; We 10:00-13:00; Th 14:00-19:00; Sa 10:00-13:00
1 Bishop's Court, Kennoway, KY8 5LA
About 4 km away
Colinsburgh Galloway Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi
Main Street, Colinsburgh, KY9 1LS
About 10 km away
Leven Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi. Hours: Tu,We,Th 09:00-13:00,14:00-16:30
16 Durie Street, Leven, KY8 4HE
Methil Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi. Hours: Mo-Fr 09:00-12:00,13:00-17:00
Wellesley Road, Methil, KY8 3PB
About 2 km away
Largo Library and Community Hub
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi
Crescent Road, Lundin Links, KY8 6BH
About 3 km away
Buckhaven Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi. Hours: Mo 10:00-14:00; Tu 12:00-17:00; Th 14:00-19:00; Sa 10:00-13:00
Michael Street, Buckhaven, KY8 1JY
About 4 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 Leven
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