Settling in · Otley
Landing in Otley? Start here.
The first fortnight in Otley, 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
71 places in Otley 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
St. Margaret's
Christian, Anglican
Queen's Road, Ilkley, LS29 9QL
About 9 km away
Salvation Army Citadel
Christian, Salvation army
Rhodes Place, Shipley, BD17 7DL
About 10 km away
SS John Fisher & Thomas Moore
Christian, Roman catholic
Bradford Road, Bradford, LS29 7PX
About 3 km away
Christchurch
Christian, Methodist, united reformed
21 The Grove, Ilkley, LS29 9LW
About 9 km away
The Church of the Sacred Heart
Christian, Roman catholic
Stockeld Road, Ilkley, LS29 9HD
About 9 km away
Ben Rhydding Methodist Church
Christian, Methodist
Ben Rhydding Drive, Ilkley, LS29 8AY
About 7 km away
Mosques and prayer rooms
Iglesia ni Cristo
Iglesia ni Cristo, Leeds
About 12 km away
Monk Bridge Road, Meanwood, Leeds West Yorkshire, England, LS6 4HH
Worship services: Thu 7:00pm · Sun 11:00am · Sun 1:00pm (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
Food and takeaways
Thai Sun
Thai. restaurant. Hours: Mo-We 17:00-22:00; Th 12:00-22:00; Fr,Sa 12:00-22:30; Su 12:00-22:00
33 Town Street, Leeds, LS18 5LJ
About 8 km away
Ephesus
Turkish. restaurant. Hours: Mo-Su 11:00-23:00
4 Rodley Lane, Leeds, LS13 1HU
About 9 km away
Sports and clubs
Yarnbury Rugby Club
Rugby union. Sports centre
Brownberrie Lane, Leeds, LS18 5HB
About 7 km away
Aireborough Leisure Centre
Swimming, squash, climbing, fitness, gymnastics, badminton, basketball, soccer. Sports centre
Cartwright Avenue, Leeds, LS20 9FJ
About 4 km away
University of Leeds Bodington Playing Fields
Soccer, rugby, lacrossee, ultimate frisbee, cycling. Sports centre
Weetwood Lane, Leeds, LS16 5NZ
About 10 km away
Leeds Sailing & Activity Centre
Canoe, cycling, orienteering, sailing. Sports centre
Cemetery Road, Leeds, LS19 7UY
About 4 km away
W Fitness
Fitness. Fitness centre. Hours: Mo-Tu 09:00-14:00,16:00-19:30; We 09:00-14:00,16:00-20:00; Th-Fr 09:00-14:00,16:00-19:00; Sa-Su 09:00-12:00
Station Road, Leeds, LS18 5NX
About 8 km away
Community and support groups
The Clarke Foley Centre
Community centre. Hours: Mo 09:30-16:00; Tu-Sa 10:00-16:00
Cunliffe Road, Ilkley, LS29 9DZ
About 9 km away
Baildon Community Link
Community centre
35 Cliffe Avenue, Bradford, BD17 6NX
About 8 km away
Pool Sports and Social Club & Village Hall
Community centre
Arthington Lane, Leeds, LS21 1LG
About 5 km away
Barbers and hair specialists
Barbers and salons
Definition Hair Design
Hairdresser
3 Harrogate Road, Leeds, LS19 6HW
About 6 km away
Rawdon Barber Shop
Hairdresser. Hours: Mo 10:00-18:00; Tu,Th 08:30-20:00; We 08:30-17:30; Fr 08:30-19:00; Sa,Su closed
11 Town Street, Leeds, LS19 6PU
About 6 km away
Sarah Louise Hair Salon
Hairdresser. Hours: Tu 09:30-19:00; We 09:30-18:30; Th 09:30-20:00; Sa 09:00-16:00
198 Low Lane, Leeds, LS18 5GT
About 9 km away
Dexters Otley
Hairdresser. Hours: Mo-Fr 10:00-17:00; Sa,Su off
11 Westgate Arcade, Leeds, LS21 3AT
Cinemas and libraries
Baildon Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi. Hours: Mo-Tu 09:30-17:00; We-Sa 09:30-14:00; PH off
2-4 Northgate, Bradford, BD17 6JX
About 8 km away
Calverley Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi. Hours: Mo 14:00-17:00; Tu,Fr 09:00-13:00; We closed; Th 14:00-18:00; Sa-Su 10:00-13:00
Thornhill Street, Leeds, LS28 5PD
About 9 km away
Yeadon Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi. Hours: Mo,Th,Fr 09:00-17:00; Tu 10:00-17:00; We 09:00-19:00; Sa 10:00-16:00; Su off
Town Hall Square, Leeds, LS19 7PP
About 4 km away
Ilkley Public Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi. Hours: Mo 09:00-19:00, Tu 09:00-17:00, We 09:00-17:00, Th 09:00-19:00, Fr 09:00-12:00, Sa 09:00-16:00
Station Road, Ilkley, LS29 8HA
About 9 km away
Menston Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi. Hours: Mo,We,Th 10:00-13:00,14:00-17:00; Sa 10:00-13:00
Main Street, Bradford, LS29 6HT
About 3 km away
Guiseley Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi. Hours: Mo,Tu,Th 06:30-21:30; We 06:30-21:45; Fr 06:30-21:00; Sa 08:00-17:30; Su 07:45-20:00
The Green, Leeds, LS20 9BT
About 4 km away
Rawdon Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi
New Road Side, Leeds, LS19 6DD
About 6 km away
Holt Park Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi
Holtdale Approach, Leeds, LS16 7RX
About 8 km away
Horsforth Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi. Hours: Tu 10:00-17:00; Sa 10:00-16:00; Mo,Th,Fr 09:00-17:00; We 09:00-19:00; Su off
Town Street, Leeds, LS18 5BL
About 8 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 Otley
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