Settling in · Rochdale
Landing in Rochdale? Start here.
The first fortnight in Rochdale, 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
63 places in Rochdale 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.
Nothing nearby matches that yet. Try a shorter word.
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
Bury Unitarian Church
Christian, Unitarian
1 Bank Street, Bury, BL9 0DN
About 10 km away
St Aidan and St Oswald Catholic Church
Christian, Catholic
Vaughan Street, Oldham, OL2 5DL
About 7 km away
Church of St Volodymyr the Great
Christian, Orthodox
Onchan Avenue, Oldham, OL4 1BJ
About 10 km away
Oldham Spiritualist Church
Christian, Spiritualist
157-159 Ashton Road, Oldham, OL8 1LD
About 10 km away
Mosques and prayer rooms
Al-Madina Jamia Masjid
Muslim, Sunni
230-240 Waterloo Street, Oldham, OL4 1ES
About 10 km away
European Islamic Centre & Mosque
Muslim, Sunni
79 Manchester Road, Oldham, OL8 4LN
About 10 km away
Madrassa Taleemul Islam Markazi Masjid
Muslim, Sunni
Suffolk Street, Oldham, OL9 7DJ
About 9 km away
Iglesia ni Cristo
Iglesia ni Cristo, Manchester
About 21 km away
101 Edge Lane, Stretford, Manchester, M32 8PU
Worship services: Tue 7:00pm · Sat 8:00am (Tagalog) · Sat 11:00am · Sat 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
Rochdale Leisure Centre
Swimming, fitness, table tennis, badminton, gymnastics. Sports centre
Entwisle Road, Rochdale, OL16 2HZ
Unsworth Cricket Club
Cricket. Sports centre
32 Pole Lane, Bury, BL9 8QD
About 10 km away
Middleton Cricket Club
Cricket. Sports centre
Towncroft Avenue, Rochdale, M24 5DA
About 7 km away
Kick Sonic Indoor Football
Soccer. Sports centre
Ayaan Business Park, Oldham, OL9 6QH
About 8 km away
Our Lady’s Community Sports Centre
Sports centre
Howden Road, Manchester, M9 0RQ
About 10 km away
Cowm Leisure Off Road Centre
Sports centre
Oak Street, Borough of Rossendale, OL12 8NW
About 7 km away
Days out and things to do
Community and support groups
Fatima Women's Association
Community centre
Marlborough Street, Oldham, OL4 1EG
About 9 km away
Barbers and hair specialists
Hot towel and traditional shaves
Barbers and salons
Kashmiri Barbers
Hairdresser. Hours: Mo-Sa 09:30-20:00; Su 10:00-20:00
Ronald Street, Oldham, OL4 1NH
About 10 km away
Cinemas and libraries
Rochdale Central Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi. Hours: Mo,We,Fr 09:00-17:00; Tu,Th 09:00-18:00; Sa 10:00-15:00; PH off
Smith Street, Rochdale, OL16 1XU
Oldham Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi
Ashworth Street, Oldham, OL1 1AL
About 9 km away
Bury Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi
Manchester Road, Bury, BL9 0DG
About 10 km away
Milnrow Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi. Hours: Mo,Th,Fr 09:00-17:00; Tu 09:00-18:00; Sa 09:00-13:00
Sheriff Street, Rochdale, OL16 3PP
About 4 km away
The Avenue Library & Learning Centre
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi
Victoria Avenue East, Manchester, M9 6HW
About 10 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 Rochdale
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