Settling in · Lower Upham
Landing in Lower Upham? Start here.
The first fortnight in Lower Upham, 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
77 places in Lower Upham 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 Swindon Citadel
Christian, Salvation army
46-50 Devizes Road, Swindon, SN1 4BG
About 8 km away
The Salvation Army - Swindon Gorse Hill
Christian, Salvation army
Chapel Street, Swindon, SN2 8DA
About 10 km away
Mosques and prayer rooms
Swindon Masjid
Muslim, Sunni
124-125 Broad Street, Swindon, SN1 2DR
About 9 km away
Gurdwaras
Iglesia ni Cristo
Iglesia ni Cristo, Swindon
About 6 km away
Park South Community Centre, Cranmore avenue, Swindon, SN3 2ER
Worship services: Tue 8:00pm · Sat 10:00am · Sat 12:00pm · Sun 12:00pm (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
Food and takeaways
Zaika Indian Restaurant - Marlborough
Indian. restaurant
7 London Road, SN8 1PH
About 9 km away
Lotus House
Chinese. takeaway. Hours: Sa 12:00-13:30, 17:00-23:00; Su 17:00-22:30; Tu-Th 17:00-22:30; Fr 12:00-13:30, 17:00-23:00
11 The Parade, SN8 1NE
About 9 km away
China Kitchen
Indian. restaurant. Hours: We,Th,Su,Mo 16:45-22:00; Fr,Sa 16:45-22:30
51 Commercial Road, Swindon, SN1 5NX
About 9 km away
Sports and clubs
Marlborough Town Football Club
Football. Sport club
Elcot Lane, Marlborough, SN8 2BG
About 9 km away
Foundation Park
Soccer, athletics. Sports centre
County Ground Lane, Swindon, SN1 2FD
About 9 km away
Futsall 5-A-Side Indoor Football
Soccer. Sports centre
Bramble Road, Swindon, SN2 8HB
About 10 km away
Barbury Shooting School
Shooting. Sports centre
Millennium Trail, Chiseldon, SN4 0QH
About 4 km away
Westlecot Bowls Club
Bowls. Sports centre
Bowling Green Lane, Swindon, SN1 4EU
About 8 km away
Days out and things to do
Flashpoint Swindon
Sports centre
30 Bramble Road, Swindon, SN2 8HB
About 10 km away
Driving schools
Community and support groups
The StoweAway Community Centre
Community centre
Staldon Road, Swindon, SN1 7AG
About 8 km away
Eastcott Community Centre
Community centre
Savernake Street, Swindon, SN1 3LZ
About 9 km away
Ogbourne St George Village Hall
Community centre
High Street, Ogbourne St. George, SN8 1SU
About 3 km away
Barbers and hair specialists
Barbers and salons
Pixal Rose Hair Design
Hairdresser
199A Rodbourne Road, Swindon, SN2 2AA
About 10 km away
Cinemas and libraries
Badbury Park Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi. Hours: We-Th 10:30-16:00, Sa 09:30-13:30
Homington Avenue, Swindon, SN3 6FU
About 5 km away
Old Town Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi. Hours: Mo-Fr 10:30-16:00, Sa 10:00-13:00
6 Devizes Road, Swindon, SN1 4BJ
About 8 km away
Liden Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi
Liden Centre, Swindon, SN3 6HP
About 6 km away
Science Museum Library and Archives
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi
Barbury Lane, Wroughton, SN4 0QZ
About 6 km away
Park Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi
Cavendish Square, Swindon, SN3 2LZ
About 7 km away
Covingham Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi
St. Paul's Drive, Swindon, SN3 5BY
About 8 km away
Swindon Central Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi
Regent Circus, Swindon, SN1 1QN
About 9 km away
Ramsbury Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi. Hours: Mo,Th 14:00-17:00; We,Sa 10:00-12:00
High Street, Marlborough, SN8 2QP
About 9 km away
Marlborough Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi
90 High Street, Marlborough, SN8 1LN
About 9 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 Lower Upham
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