Settling in · Pontefract
Landing in Pontefract? Start here.
The first fortnight in Pontefract, 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 Pontefract 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
Pontefract Congregational Church
Christian, Evangelical
Finkle Street, Wakefield, WF8 1HE
The Salvation Army Citadel
Christian, Salvation army
Booth Street, Wakefield, WF10 1SA
About 5 km away
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Christian, Latter-day saints
Park Villas Drive, Wakefield, WF8 4QF
Pontefract Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses
Christian, Jehovahs witness
Orchard Head Lane, Wakefield, WF8 2LY
About 2 km away
Church of St Luke and All Saints
Christian, Anglican
Church Lane, Wakefield, WF8 3BH
About 3 km away
Iglesia ni Cristo
Iglesia ni Cristo, Doncaster
About 22 km away
Flat 2, No. 9 Lawn Road Doncaster, South Yorkshire DN1 2JF, United Kingodm
Worship services: Wed 7:30pm · Sat 10:00am
Iglesia ni Cristo, Leeds
About 23 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
Shops from home
Food and takeaways
Sports and clubs
Pontefract Squash & Leisure Club
Badminton, sqaush, racquet. Sports centre
Stuart Road, Wakefield, WF8 4PQ
The Glasshoughton Centre
Soccer, cricket, bowls. Sports centre
Leeds Road, Wakefield, WF10 4PA
About 4 km away
Lock Lane Rugby League and Sports Centre
Sports centre
Mill Lane, Wakefield, WF10 2SF
About 5 km away
Aspire at The Park
Swimming. Sports centre. Hours: Mo-Fr 07:00-21:00; Sa,Su 08:00-18:00
Park Road, Wakefield, WF8 4RA
Featherstone Sports Complex
Sports centre
Pontefract Road, Wakefield, WF7 5AJ
About 3 km away
Days out and things to do
Driving schools
Community and support groups
Smawthorne Community Project @ The Link
Community centre
51 Beancroft Road, Wakefield, WF10 5BP
About 4 km away
Allerton Bywater Youth And Adult Centre
Community centre
Leeds Road, Leeds, WF10 2DP
About 8 km away
Barbers and hair specialists
Hot towel and traditional shaves
Barbers and salons
Cinemas and libraries
Valley Gardens Pop Up Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi
Southgate Wakefield, WF8 1LN
Featherstone Library and Community Centre
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi
Station Lane, Wakefield, WF7 5BB
About 4 km away
Castleford Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi
Carlton Street, Wakefield, WF10 1BB
About 5 km away
Normanton Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi
Market Street, Wakefield, WF6 2AR
About 7 km away
Methely Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi
Savile Road, Leeds, LS26 9HS
About 8 km away
Upton Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi
Waggon Lane, Wakefield, WF9 1JS
About 9 km away
Hemsworth Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi
Market Street, Wakefield, WF9 4JY
About 9 km away
Kippax Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi
Westfield Lane, Leeds, LS25 7LY
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 Pontefract
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