Settling in · Lisburn
Landing in Lisburn? Start here.
The first fortnight in Lisburn, 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
72 places in Lisburn 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
Forestside Christian Church
Christian
88 Belvoir Drive, Belfast, BT8 7FR
About 8 km away
Hillsborough Free Presbyterian Church
Christian, Presbyterian
13 Comber Road, Royal Hillsborough, BT26 6LN
About 6 km away
Broomhedge Methodist Church
Christian, Methodist
62 Halfpenny Gate Road, Moira, BT67 0HP
About 7 km away
Hannahstown Parish Church
Christian, Roman catholic
23 Hannahstown Hill, Belfast City District, BT17 0LT
About 8 km away
Hindu temples
ISKCON Belfast
Hindu, Hare krishna
2a Brooklands Grange, Belfast, BT17 0SA
About 6 km away
Iglesia ni Cristo
Iglesia ni Cristo, Belfast
About 11 km away
2-4 University Avenue Belfast, BT7 1GY
Worship services: Thu 6:00pm · Sun 11:00am · Sun 1:00pm (children)
Iglesia ni Cristo, Ballymena
About 42 km away
28 Henry Street, Ballymena, Northern Ireland, BT42 3AH
Worship services: Fri 8:30pm · Sun 11:00am (Tagalog) · Sun 1:15pm (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
Shops from home
Food and takeaways
Curry Leaf
Indian. restaurant. Hours: Tu-Su 17:00-21:30
24 Ballynahinch Street, Royal Hillsborough, BT26 6AW
About 6 km away
Emerald House
Chinese. takeaway. Hours: Mo-Fr 17:00-00:30, Sa 17:00-01:00, Su 17:00-12:00
489 Falls Road, Belfast, BT12 6DE
About 10 km away
Nando's
Chicken, portuguese. restaurant
Hillsborough Road, Lisburn, BT27 5UJ
About 3 km away
Dragon King
Chinese. restaurant
Ballymacross Avenue, Lisburn, BT28 2XY
About 3 km away
Camile
Thai. restaurant. Hours: Mo-Su 12:00-23:00
348 Lisburn Road, Belfast, BT9 6GH
About 9 km away
Foodies
Pizza, chinese, mexican, coffee shop. restaurant
353 Lisburn Road, Belfast City District, BT9 7EP
About 10 km away
Sports and clubs
Brook Leisure Centre
Multi, soccer, fitness. Sports centre
Summerhill Road, Belfast City District, BT17 0DB
About 5 km away
Cardinal O'Donnell's Gaelic Athletics Club
Gaelic games. Sport club
43 Whiterock Road, Belfast, BT12 7PF
About 10 km away
Hydebank Playing Fields Pavilion
Soccer. Sports centre
Belvoir Road, Purdysburn, BT8 7EU
About 8 km away
Lamh Dhearg GAC
Gaelic games. Sports centre
Upper Springfield Road, Belfast City District, BT17 0LT
About 9 km away
We Are Vertigo
Ski, trampoline, playground. Sports centre. Hours: Mo off; Tu off; We off; Th off; Fr 16:00-21:00; Sa-Su 11:00-17:00
1 Cedarhurst Road, Purdysburn, BT8 7RH
About 9 km away
Boulder World
Climbing. Sports centre. Hours: Mo-Fr 10:00-22:00; Sa,Su 10:00-20:00
About 10 km away
Lisnagarvey Hockey Club
Field hockey. Sports centre
2 Comber Road, Royal Hillsborough, BT26 6LN
About 6 km away
Community and support groups
Dunmurry Community Association
Community centre
248 Glenburn Road, Dunmurry, BT17 9BB
About 5 km away
Barbers and hair specialists
Hot towel and traditional shaves
Mo's Turkish Barbers
Hairdresser
Mount Eagles Square, Belfast City District, BT17 0GY
About 5 km away
Barbers and salons
Cinemas and libraries
Suffolk LIbrary
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi
Stewartstown Road, Belfast, BT11 9JP
About 7 km away
Lisburn City Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi
23 Linenhall Street, Lisburn, BT28 1FJ
Colin Glen Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi
Unit 17, Stewartstown Road, Dunmurry, BT17 0AW
About 6 km away
Finaghy Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi
38B Finaghy Road South, Belfast City District, BT10 0DR
About 7 km away
Lisburn Road Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi
440 Lisburn Road, Belfast City District, BT9 6GR
About 8 km away
Whiterock Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi
Whiterock Road, Belfast City District, BT12 7FW
About 10 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 Lisburn
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