Settling in · Liverpool
Landing in Liverpool? Start here.
The first fortnight in Liverpool, 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
90 places in Liverpool 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
Stoneycroft Salvation Army Community Church
Christian, Salvation army
Prescot Road, Old Swan, Liverpool, L13 3BT
About 4 km away
The Salvation Army - Birkenhead
Christian, Salvation army
Vincent Street, Birkenhead, CH41 2RH
About 4 km away
Salvation Army Community Church
Christian, Salvation army
179 Old Chester Road, Rock Ferry, Birkenhead, CH42 3TB
About 4 km away
The Salvation Army Liverpool Walton
Christian, Salvation army
Cavendish Drive, Walton, Liverpool, L9 1NB
About 5 km away
Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses
Christian, Jehovahs witness
8-12 Field Road, Wallasey, CH45 5BQ
About 5 km away
Our Lady of the Annunciation Bishop Eton Church
Christian, Roman catholic
Woolton Road, Liverpool, L16 8NQ
About 6 km away
St Timothy's RC Church
Christian, Catholic
Rockwell Road, L12 4XY
About 7 km away
St Margaret Mary's Catholic Church
Christian, Catholic. Hours: Tu, Th 08:30-10:30; Sa 09:00-11:00, 17:00-19:00; Su 10:00-12:00
Pilch Lane, L14 0JG
About 7 km away
Our Lady Queen Of Martyrs Catholic Church
Christian, Catholic. Hours: Mo-Th 12:00-22:00; Su 12:00-14:00; Fr-Sa 12:00-21:00
Stonebridge Lane, L11 9AZ
About 7 km away
Jireh Church
Christian, Evangelical
Teehey Gardens, Bebington, Wirral, CH63 2JH
About 7 km away
Mosques and prayer rooms
Buddhist temples and centres
Sri Sambuddha Viharaya (Buddhist Temple)
Buddhist. Hours: Mo-Su 07:00-21:00
120 Carr Lane East, L11 4SL
About 6 km away
Other places of worship
Iglesia ni Cristo
Iglesia ni Cristo, Liverpool
About 4 km away
St Laurence's School, St. Laurence Drive Birkenhead, England CH41 3JD
Worship services: Wed 7:00pm · Sun 11:00am
Iglesia ni Cristo, Flintshire
About 20 km away
High Street Bagillt Flintshire, North Wales CH6 6HE
Worship services: Tue 6:15pm · Sat 12:00pm · Sat 3:00pm (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
Shops from home
Huyton News & Convenience
Newsagent. Hours: Mo-Su 07:00-19:00
42 Derby Road, Knowsley, L36 9UJ
About 9 km away
International Food Store
Convenience
Liverpool FC Store
Fan
Liverpool Superstore
Fan
Everton Two
Fan
Food and takeaways
Mowgli Street Food
Indian. restaurant. Hours: Mo-Th 11:30-22:00; Fr,Sa 11:30-22:30; Su 11:30-21:30
69 Bold Street, Liverpool, L1 4EZ
LiangJi Wraps
Chinese. restaurant. Hours: Mo-Fr 09:00-21:00; Sa-Su 10:30-21:00
5 Prescot Street, L7 8UE
Barton Rouge
Indian. restaurant. Hours: Mo-Su 16:00-23:00
26 Exchange Street East, Liverpool, L2 3PH
Fogo dev chao
Brazilian. restaurant. Hours: Mo-Fr 17:00-22:00; Sa 12:00-15:00,17:00-22:00; Su 17:00-21:00
Exchange Flags, Liverpool, L2 3YL
Rosa's Thai Cafe
Thai. restaurant. Hours: Mo-Sa 12:00-22:00; Su 12:00-21:00
7 Britannia Pavilion, L3 4AD
Cafe Naz
Indian. restaurant
8 High Street, Liverpool, L15 8HE
About 4 km away
The Charcoal Hob
Chicken, pizza, burger, kebab. takeaway. Hours: We-Mo 16:30-01:45
379 Prescot Road, Liverpool, L13 3BS
About 4 km away
Good Shepherd Noodle Bar & Asia Takeaway
Chinese, noodles. takeaway
19 Broad Green Road, Liverpool, L13 5SD
About 4 km away
Sizzlaz 2
Pizza, burger, chicken, kebab. restaurant
648 Prescot Road, Liverpool, L13 5XE
About 4 km away
Magic Spices
Indian. restaurant
224 - 225, Seabank Road, New Brighton, Wallasey, CH45 1HE
About 5 km away
Sports and clubs
Terry McElhinneys Martial Arts & Fitness Classes
Fitness centre. Hours: Tu, Th 19:30-21:00
Longview Lane, Huyton, L36 7UN
About 10 km away
Tiger Soccer
Sports centre. Hours: Su-Mo 18:30-22:00
61 Storrington Avenue, L11 9DQ
About 7 km away
Awesome Walls Liverpool
Climbing. Sports centre
Athol Street, Liverpool, L5 9TN
About 2 km away
Mersey Bowmen Lawn Tennis Club
Tennis. Sport club
Liverpool L17 1AP
About 4 km away
Sports Direct Fitness
Fitness centre
88 Rose Lane, Liverpool, L18 8AG
About 5 km away
Fishing spots and tackle shops
Days out and things to do
Driving schools
Ashley Neal Driving School
Driving school
50 Whitewood Park, Liverpool, L9 7LG
About 7 km away
Community and support groups
The Heart of Egremont
Community centre
Guildford Street, Wallasey, CH44 0BP
About 4 km away
The Hive, Wirral Youth Zone
Community centre. Hours: Mo-Su 09:00-21:00
Bright Street, Birkenhead, CH41 4EA
About 4 km away
Deysbrook Village Centre
Community centre. Hours: Mo-Fr 09:00-17:00
Deysbrook Way, Liverpool, L12 4XF
About 6 km away
Alt Valley Community Trust
Community centre. Hours: Mo-Fr 08:00-16:30
Altcross Road, L11 0BS
About 7 km away
North Huyton Community Centre
Community centre. Hours: Mo-Sa 10:00-19:30
Tudor Avenue, L14 9NQ
About 8 km away
The Craigs Community Centre
Community centre. Hours: Mo-Fr 09:00-20:00
Little Moss Hey, L28 5RL
About 8 km away
1982 (Huyton) Squadron RAF Air Cadets
Community centre. Hours: Tu, Th 19:00-21:30
The Park, L36 5SU
About 9 km away
Bob Whiley Community Centre
Community centre
Shop Road, Knowsley, L34 0HD
About 10 km away
The Old School House Community Project
Community centre. Hours: Mo-Fr 09:00-17:00
St Johns Road, L36 0UX
About 10 km away
Gautby Road Play, Youth & Community Centre
Community centre
Gautby Road, Birkenhead, CH41 7DS
About 6 km away
Barbers and hair specialists
Hot towel and traditional shaves
L1 Styles Barbershop (Traditional Barbers Huyton & Roby)
Hairdresser. Hours: Mo-Tu 09:00-17:30; We-Fr 09:00-18:00; Sa 09:00-17:00; Su 10:00-15:00
22 Cavendish Walk, L36 9YG
About 9 km away
Barbers and salons
The Little Hairmaid
Hairdresser
249 Rake Lane, Wallasey, CH45 5DJ
About 5 km away
Jordana Lawton
Hairdresser. Hours: Tu 09:00-19:00; We 09:00-17:30; Th 10:00-19:30; Fr 09:00-18:00; Sa 09:00-17:3
107 Holmefield Road, Liverpool, L19 3PF
About 6 km away
Rosser
Hairdresser. Hours: Mo-Tu Off; We 09:00-20:00; Th 09:30-15:00; Fr 09:00-20:00; Sa-Su 09:00-15:30
568 Aigburth Road, Liverpool, L19 3QG
About 7 km away
Thatchairs Hair and Body
Hairdresser. Hours: Tu 09:30-17:00; We, Sa 09:00-19:00; Th 09:00-20:00; Fr 09:00-18:00
271 Pilch Lane, L14 0JF
About 7 km away
Barbers No1 Pilch Lane
Hairdresser. Hours: Mo-Th 09:00-18:00; Fr 09:00-19:00; Sa 09:00-17:00; Su 10:00-16:00
9 Childwall Lane, L14 6TT
About 7 km away
Cinemas and libraries
Croxteth Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi. Hours: Mo-Th 08:30-16:30; Fr 08:30-15:30
40 Altcross Road, L11 0BS
About 7 km away
Stockbridge Village Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi. Hours: Mo-Fr 10:00-17:00; Sa 10:00-13:00
The Withens, L28 1AB
About 8 km away
Huyton Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi. Hours: Mo-Fr 10:00-17:00; Sa 10:00-13:00
Civic Way, L36 9DG
About 9 km away
Aldham Robarts Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi
29 Maryland Street, Liverpool, L1 9DE
Old Swan Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi
Prescot Road, Liverpool, L13 5XG
About 5 km away
St James Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi. Hours: Mo-Fr 10:00-16:00; Sa-Su off; PH off
Laird Street, Birkenhead, CH41 7AL
About 5 km away
Childwall Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi. Hours: Mo-We 10:00-18:00; Th-Fr 10:00-17:00
L15 6UT
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 Liverpool
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