Postcode Address File: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 23:30, 1 September 2024

Latest revision as of 18:13, 5 June 2025

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{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2017}}

{{distinguish|ZIP (file format)}}

The '''Postcode Address File''' ('''PAF''') is a database that contains all known "''[[Delivery point|delivery points"]]'' and [[postcodes in the United Kingdom]]. The PAF is a collection of over 29 million Royal Mail postal addresses and 1.8&nbsp;million [[postcode]]s.<ref>{{cite web|title=PAF Stats|url=http://www.poweredbypaf.com/category/paf-stats/|website=Powered By Paf|publisher=Royal Mail Group Ltd|access-date=9 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160309140048/http://www.poweredbypaf.com/category/paf-stats/|archive-date=9 March 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref> It is available in a variety of formats including [[File Transfer Protocol|FTP]] download and compact disc, and was previously available as [[digital audio tape]]. As owner of the PAF, Royal Mail is required by section 116 of the [[Postal Services Act 2000]] to maintain the data and make it available on reasonable terms. A charge is made for lookup services or wholesale supply of PAF data. Charges are regulated by [[Ofcom]]. It includes small user residential, small user organisation and large user organisation details. There have been requests as part of the [[Open Data in the United Kingdom|Open Data]] campaign for the PAF to be released by the government free of charge.<ref>{{cite news|first=Charles |last=Arthur |url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2010/jan/22/postcode-petition-fails-blocked-number-ten |title=Developers dismayed as No.10 blocks free postcode file |work=[[The Guardian]] |date=22 January 2010 |access-date=10 June 2013}}</ref>

==Usage==

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*The county record – holds [[Counties of the United Kingdom|traditional]], [[Administrative county|administrative]] and [[Postal counties of the United Kingdom|postal county]] information.

Royal Mail, in their guide to the data products<ref>[ftp://ftp.royalmail.com/Downloads/public/ctf/rm/PAF_Digest_Dec_03.pdf PAF Digest]{{dead link|date=March 2018May 2025|bot=InternetArchiveBot medic}}{{cbignore|fix-attemptedbot=yes medic}}, p12</ref> imply that the county alias information was provided when Royal Mail removed the former postal county from the main file.

==Errors==

Royal Mail acknowledges that the PAF contains errors, and publishes forms for submitting error reports. A very small number of addresses are not listed correctly, and others (especially new developments) may not be listed at all for a period of time.

==Costs and public availability==