Settling in · Newcastle
Landing in Newcastle? Start here.
The first fortnight in Newcastle, 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
81 places in Newcastle 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
Christian, Salvation army
Caskieberran Road, Glenrothes, KY6 2NR
St. Marie's
Christian, Catholic
Victoria Road, Kirkcaldy, KY1 2SA
About 9 km away
Pathhead Parish Church
Christian, Church of scotland
Harriet Street, Kirkcaldy, KY1 2AF
About 9 km away
Markinch Parish Church
Christian, Church of scotland
Kirk Street, Glenrothes, KY7 6DU
About 5 km away
Langtoun Central Church - St Bryce
Christian, Church of scotland
St Brycedale Avenue, Kirkcaldy, KY1 1ET
About 10 km away
Kirkcaldy Spiritualist Church
Spiritualist
13 Kirk Wynd, Kirkcaldy, KY1 1EH
About 10 km away
Mosques and prayer rooms
Other places of worship
Iglesia ni Cristo
Iglesia ni Cristo, Edinburgh
About 25 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
Shops from home
Georgia's Filipino & Oriental Food Supply
Convenience
482 Elswick Road, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE4 8ED
Sami Swoi - Polish Convenience & Butcher
Convenience
369 Elswick Road, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE4 8DY
Taste the Orient
Supermarket. stocks Chinese goods
64-68 Clayton Street, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 5PF
Wing Hong Chinese Supermarket
Supermarket
45-51 Stowell Street, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 4YB
Food and takeaways
Rara Tal
Indian. restaurant. Hours: Mo-Th 12:00-15:00,16:30-21:00; Fr,Sa 12:00-21:30; Su 15:00-21:00
Church Street, Glenrothes, KY7 4HP
About 2 km away
Grace
Chinese. restaurant. Hours: Tu-Su 16:30-21:00
Balbirnie Street, Markinch, KY7 6DG
About 5 km away
Annapurna Gurkha's Restauarant
Indian. restaurant
312-314 High Street, Kirkcaldy, KY1 1LB
About 10 km away
Sports and clubs
Balgeddie House Hotel Swimming Pool
Swimming. Sports centre
Balgeddie Park, Glenrothes, KY6 3NZ
About 2 km away
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 4 km away
Fishing spots and tackle shops
Tyneside Angling
Tackle shop, and the place to ask where to fish and about permits
Shields Road West, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE6 1JN
Community and support groups
Templehall Community Hub
Community centre
Appin Crescent, Kirkcaldy, KY2 6EJ
About 7 km away
Hayfield Community Centre
Community centre
Hayfield Road, Kirkcaldy, KY2 5DG
About 8 km away
Fife Muslim Education and Cultural Centre
Community centre
33 Pitcoudie Avenue, Glenrothes, KY7 6RU
About 3 km away
Barbers and hair specialists
Hot towel and traditional shaves
Barbers and salons
Kirkham Hairdressing
Hairdresser. Hours: Tu-Fr 09:00-18:00; Sa 09:00-16:00
200 Colliston Avenue, Glenrothes, KY7 4PW
About 3 km away
Moustache
Hairdresser. Hours: Mo-Fr 08:30-18:00; Sa 08:30-17:30; Su 10:00-16:00
Blair Avenue, Glenrothes, KY7 4RH
About 3 km away
Cinemas and libraries
Kirkcaldy Campus Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi. Hours: Mo-Fr 08:45-17:00
Forth Avenue, Kirkcaldy, KY2 5YS
About 10 km away
Falkland Community Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi
Back Wynd, Falkland, KY15 7BX
About 7 km away
Leslie Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi. Hours: Mo 10:00-15:00; We 14:00-17:00; Th 14:00-19:00; Sa 10:00-13:00
289 High Street, Leslie, KY6 3AX
Rothes Halls Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi. Hours: Mo,Tu,We,Fr,Sa 09:30-17:00; Th 09:30-19:00
Unicorn Way, Glenrothes, KY7 5NX
About 2 km away
Cadham Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi. Hours: Mo,Fr 10:00-12:30,13:30-17:00; Tu 13:00-18:00; We 13:00-17:00; Sa 10:00-14:00
Huntsman's Road, Glenrothes, KY7 6RU
About 3 km away
Cardenden Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi. Hours: Mo,Sa 10:00-13:00; Tu 14:00-17:00; Th 14:00-19:00
Carden Avenue, Cardenden, KY5 0EP
About 6 km away
Templehall Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi
Appin Crescent, Kirkcaldy, KY2 6EJ
About 7 km away
Benarty Libary
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi. Hours: Mo,Tu 10:00-12:30,13:30-17:00; Th 11:00-12:30,13:30-18:00; Fr 10:00-14:00; Sa 10:00-13:00
Ballingry Road, Lochore, KY5 8EX
About 8 km away
Windmill Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi. Hours: Mo-Fr 09:00-17:00; Sa 09:00-13:00
Windmill Road, Kirkcaldy, KY1 3AL
About 9 km away
Jennie Lee Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi. Hours: Mo,Tu,We,Fr 10:00-17:00; Th 11:00-19:00; Sa 10:00-14:00
Station Road, Lochgelly, KY5 9QW
About 9 km away
Kirkcaldy Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi. Hours: Mo,Tu,We,Fr 10:00-17:00; Th 10:00-19:00; Sa 10:00-16:00; Su 12:00-16:00
Station Road, Kirkcaldy, KY1 1YL
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 Newcastle
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