Settling in · Sunderland
Landing in Sunderland? Start here.
The first fortnight in Sunderland, 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 Sunderland 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
Bassenthwaite Methodist Church
Christian, Methodist
Winding Gate, Bassenthwaite, CA12 4QP
About 6 km away
The nearest Iglesia ni Cristo to Sunderland
Iglesia ni Cristo, Blackpool
About 99 km away
Spencer Court Community Centre, Spencer Court, Blackpool, FY1 3TW, England
Worship services: Thu 6:00pm · Sun 11:00am
Iglesia ni Cristo, Isle of Man
About 99 km away
Farrant street Isle of Man, IM2 3HG
Worship services: Thu 6:00pm · Sun 10:45am · Sun 11:00am (children)
Iglesia ni Cristo, North Shields
About 121 km away
1A Stormont Street, North Shields, Tyne and Wear, NE29 OEY
Worship services: Thu 7:00pm · Sun 10:00am · Sun 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
The Spice Club
Indian. restaurant. Hours: Mo-Su 17:30-23:00
25-27 Main Street, Cockermouth, CA13 9LE
About 7 km away
Bamboo
Chinese. restaurant. Hours: Tu-Su 17:00-22:00
16 Market Place, Cockermouth, CA13 9NQ
About 7 km away
Sports and clubs
Cockermouth Rugby Football Club
Rugby union. Sports centre
Strawberry How Road, Cockermouth, CA13 9ZD
About 7 km away
Bassenthwaite Sailing club
Sailing. Sports centre
B5291 CA13 9YD
About 5 km away
Cockermouth Leisure Centre and Pool
Sports centre
Castlegate Drive, Cockermouth, CA13 9JR
About 7 km away
Croft Bowling Club
Sports centre
Croftside Cockermouth, CA13 9QX
About 7 km away
Aspatria Bowling Club
Sports centre
St Mungo's Park, Aspatria, CA7 3JE
About 7 km away
Harris Park Bowling Club
Bowls. Sports centre
Fern Bank, Cockermouth, CA13 0DF
About 8 km away
Aspatria War Memorial Recreation Ground
Sports centre
St Mungo's Park, Aspatria, CA7 3JE
About 7 km away
Community and support groups
Torpenhow Village Hall
Community centre
A595 Torpenhow, CA7 1HT
About 5 km away
The Vicky
Community centre
High Sand Lane, Cockermouth, CA13 9NA
About 7 km away
Cockermouth Scouts
Community centre
Saint Helen's Street, Cockermouth, CA13 9HX
About 7 km away
Blennerhasset & Baggrow Village Hall
Community centre
High Road, Blennerhasset, CA7 3RF
About 6 km away
Barbers and hair specialists
Barbers and salons
Mane Street Barbers
Hairdresser
13a Main Street, Cockermouth, CA13 9LE
About 7 km away
The Cutting Room
Hairdresser
4D Station Street, Cockermouth, CA13 9QW
About 8 km away
Cinemas and libraries
Cockermouth Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi. Hours: Mo,Tu,Th,Fr 10:00-16:00; We 10:00-17:00; Sa 10:00-14:00
88 Main Street, Cockermouth, CA13 9LU
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 Sunderland
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