Settling in · Penn
Landing in Penn? Start here.
The first fortnight in Penn, 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
95 places in Penn 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 - Willenhall
Christian, Salvation army
Field Street, Willenhall, WV13 2NY
About 7 km away
The Salvation Army - Darlaston
Christian, Salvation army
The Leys, Wednesbury, WS10 8DP
About 8 km away
St. James Church
Christian, Anglican
131 Taunton Avenue, Wolverhampton, WV10 6PN
About 8 km away
Church of All Saints
Christian, Anglican
Walsall Road, Walsall, WS10 9LA
About 9 km away
Lea Road Community Church
Christian, United reformed
Lea Road, Wolverhampton, WV3 0LW
About 2 km away
Mosques and prayer rooms
Zia-E-Medina
Muslim, Sunni
153 Walsall Road, Sandwell, WS10 9SW
About 9 km away
Gurdwaras
Other places of worship
Iglesia ni Cristo
Iglesia ni Cristo, Birmingham
About 13 km away
2 Causeway Green Road Oldbury, West Midlands B68 8LD
Worship services: Wed 7:00pm · Sat 10:00am · Sat 12:30pm (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
Swindon Convenience Store
Convenience. Hours: Mo-Fr 09:00-17:30; Sa 09:00-12:30
19 High Street, Dudley, DY3 4NP
About 6 km away
Food and takeaways
Delhi 2 Bombay
Indian. restaurant. Hours: Mo-Su 12:00-23:00
40C Bath Road, Wolverhampton, WV1 4EP
About 3 km away
Mother India
Indian. restaurant. Hours: Mo-Su 18:00-00:00
136 Tettenhall Road, Wolverhampton, WV6 0BQ
About 4 km away
Polonia Restaurant
Polish. restaurant
15a Market Place, Tipton, DY4 7AR
About 9 km away
Nando's
Chicken, portuguese. restaurant
23 - 24, Queen Street, Wolverhampton, WV1 3JW
About 4 km away
Chopsticks
Chinese. takeaway
305 Tettenhall Road, Wolverhampton, WV6 0LB
About 4 km away
The Orange Tree
Indian. restaurant. Hours: Mo-Fr 15:00-22:30, Sa-Su 13:00-22:30
Ward Street, Ettingshall, WV2 2NT
About 4 km away
Sports and clubs
Tipton Sports Academy
Squash, padel, fitness, weightlifting, dance, badminton, soccer, athletics, tennis, netball, five-a-side. Sports centre
Wake Green Road, Sandwell, DY4 0AN
About 7 km away
Willenhall Rugby Club
Rugby union. Sports centre
Bognop Road, South Staffordshire, WV11 2AZ
About 10 km away
Sir Jack Hayward Training Ground
Soccer. Sports centre
Pineways Drive, Wolverhampton, WV6 0LL
About 3 km away
Goals Soccer Center Darlaston
Sports centre
Black Country Route, Willenhall, WV14 7BL
About 7 km away
The Beeches- Tividale Football Club
Sports centre
New Birmingham Road, Sandwell, B69 1UL
About 9 km away
Wolverhampton Racecourse
Horse racing. Sports centre
Hugh Porter Way, Wolverhampton, WV6 9NW
About 5 km away
KombatKids Karate School
Karate. Sports centre
Highgate Road, Dudley, DY2 0SN
About 8 km away
Fishing spots and tackle shops
Days out and things to do
Driving schools
Community and support groups
Bradmore Community Centre
Community centre
Birches Barn Road, Wolverhampton, WV3 7BN
About 2 km away
Barbers and hair specialists
Hot towel and traditional shaves
Barbers and salons
Nina Capelli
Hairdresser
2 Limes Court, Wolverhampton, WV6 8RZ
About 4 km away
Trim Barbershops
Hairdresser
Bushbury Lane, Wolverhampton, WV10 9UL
About 7 km away
Hair Graphics
Hairdresser. Hours: Tu 10:00-16:00; We, Sa 10:00-17:00; Th-Fr 10:00-18:00
396 Penn Road, WV4 4DF
The Village Hair Salon
Hairdresser. Hours: 09:00-18:00
15 Upper Green, Wolverhampton, WV6 8QH
About 4 km away
Choice Cut Barbers
Hairdresser
341 Bushbury Lane, Wolverhampton, WV10 9UL
About 7 km away
Cinemas and libraries
Warstones Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi. Hours: Mo 10:00-19:00; Tu 14:00-17:00; We 10:00-17:00; Th 13:00-17:00; Fr 10:00-17:00; Sa 09:00-14:00; Su off
Pinfold Grove, Wolverhampton, WV4 4PT
Oakham Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi. Hours: Mo 10:00-13:00,14:00-17:00; We 10:00-13:00,14:00-17:00; Fr 10:00-13:00,14:00-17:00; Sa 10:00-14:00
Poplar Rise, Sandwell, B69 1RD
About 10 km away
Wolverhampton Central Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi
St George's Parade, Wolverhampton, WV1 3AX
About 3 km away
Wombourne Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi
Windmill Bank, South Staffordshire, WV5 9JD
About 3 km away
Sedgley Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi
Ladies Walk, Dudley, DY3 3UA
About 4 km away
Whitmore Reans Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi
Bargate Drive, Wolverhampton, WV6 0QW
About 4 km away
Public Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi. Hours: 10:00-13:00,14:00-16:00
St. Michael's Parish Centre, Wolverhampton, WV6 8QF
About 4 km away
Perton Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi
Severn Drive, Wolverhampton, WV6 7QU
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 Penn
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