Settling in · Shenfield
Landing in Shenfield? Start here.
The first fortnight in Shenfield, 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
44 places in Shenfield 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
Billericay Baptist Church
Christian, Baptist
140 Perry Street, Billericay, CM12 0NS
About 6 km away
St John the Divine, Outwood Common
Christian, Anglican
Outwood Common Road, Billericay, CM11 2LE
About 8 km away
Upminster Methodist Church
Christian, Methodist
Deyncourt Gardens, Greater London, RM14 1AE
About 9 km away
Queens Park Community Church
Christian, Methodist
Queens Park Avenue, Basildon, CM12 0GP
About 6 km away
Billericay United Reformed Church
Christian, Urc
69 Chapel Street, Basildon, CM12 9LR
About 6 km away
Other places of worship
Iglesia ni Cristo
Iglesia ni Cristo, Southend
About 24 km away
71-73 Elm Road, Leigh-on-Sea, Southend-on-Sea, Leigh-on-Sea, SS9 1SP
Worship services: Tue 7:30pm · Sat 10:00am
Iglesia ni Cristo, Romford
About 24 km away
Temporarily using, Stratford chapel, 25 Meath road, London, England, E15 3DS
Worship services: Sat 10:00am · Sat 12:00pm (children) · Sat 6:30pm
Iglesia ni Cristo, Stratford, London
About 24 km away
25 MEATH ROAD, STRATFORD, LONDON, E15 3DS, ENGLAND
Worship services: Wed 7:00am · Wed 7:00pm · Sat 6:00pm · Sun 9:00am · Sun 11:30am (children)
Iglesia ni Cristo, Royal Greenwich, London
About 25 km away
Woolwich Common Community Centre, 17 Leslie Smith Square, London SE18 4DW
Worship services: Tue 7:15pm · Fri 7:00pm
Iglesia ni Cristo, Orpington
About 28 km away
The Clock Tower Pavillon, Swanley Town Council, St. Mary's road, Swanley, BR8 7BU
Worship services: Tue 8:00pm · Sat 10:00am · Sat 12:00pm (children)
Iglesia ni Cristo, Camberwell, London
About 34 km away
Crawford Primary School, #5 Crawford road, Battersea, London, SE5 9NF
Worship services: Wed 8:00pm · Sat 5:45pm · Sat 7:30pm (children)
Iglesia ni Cristo, Central London
About 34 km away
YMCA - Indian Student Hostel 41, Fitzroy Square, London, W1T-6AQ, England
Worship services: Tue 7:30pm · Sat 6:30pm · Sat 8:00pm (children)
Iglesia ni Cristo, Battersea, London
About 38 km away
48 Parkgate Road, Battersea, London, England, SW11-4NT
Worship services: Thu 7:00am · Thu 8:00pm · Sat 7:00pm · Sun 10:00am · Sun 10:30am (children)
Iglesia ni Cristo, North London
About 39 km away
Barnet Multicultural Community Centre, Algernon, Hendon, London, NW4 3TA, England
Worship services: Tue 7:30pm · Sat 6:00pm · Sat 8:00pm (children)
Iglesia ni Cristo, Notting Hill
About 40 km away
Kensington Aldridge Academy, 1 Silchester Road, London, England, W10 6EX
Worship services: Wed 8:00pm · Sun 10:00am · Sun 12:00pm (children)
Iglesia ni Cristo, Wimbledon
About 41 km away
Earlsfield Primary School, Tranmere Rd, London, SW18 3QQ
Worship services: Tue 7:30pm · Fri 6:15pm · Fri 8:00pm (children)
Iglesia ni Cristo, Hertfordshire
About 42 km away
Datchworth Village Hall, 52 Datchworth Green, Datchworth, Knebworth, SG3 6TL
Worship services: Wed 8:00pm · Sat 10:00am · Sat 12:00pm (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
Village Indian Dining
Indian. restaurant
207 St Mary's Lane, Greater London, RM14 3BU
About 10 km away
Sports and clubs
Hutton Cricket Club
Cricket. Sports centre
Hall Green Lane, Brentwood, CM13 2QT
About 2 km away
Brentwood Centre
Sports centre. Hours: Mo-Fr 06:00-22:00; Sa-Su 06:00-18:00
Doddinghurst Road, Brentwood, CM15 0SD
About 2 km away
Driving schools
Kims School of Motoring
Driving school. Hours: Mo-Sa 08:00-18:00; Sa 10:00-17:00
Oak Hill Road, Epping Forest, RM4 1JL
About 10 km away
System Driving School
Driving school. Hours: 08:00-16:00
24 Church Lane, Brentwood, CM13 3EP
About 7 km away
Community and support groups
Barbers and hair specialists
Barbers and salons
Cinemas and libraries
Brentwood Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi. Hours: Mo,We-Fr 09:00-17:30; Tu 09:00-19:00; PH off
New Road, Brentwood, CM14 4BP
About 2 km away
Upminster Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi
Corbets Tey Road, Greater London, RM14 2AX
About 10 km away
Harold Wood Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi. Hours: Mo 10:00-17:00; Tu 09:00-20:00; We 09:00-17:00; Th 09:00-20:00; Fr 09:00-17:00; Sa 09:00-16:00
Arundel Road, Greater London, RM3 0RT
About 8 km away
Harold Hill Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi
19a Farnham Road, Greater London, RM3 8ED
About 8 km away
Stock Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi
Swan Lane, Chelmsford, CM4 9BA
About 9 km away
Laindon Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi. Hours: Mo,Tu 09:00-17:30; Th 09:00-19:00; Fr 09:00-13:00; Sa 09:00-17:00; We,Su off
5 - 7, New Century Road, Basildon, SS15 6AG
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 Shenfield
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