Postcode Address File: Difference between revisions

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{{shortShort description|British geographical databaseDatabase of alladdresses knownin Royal Mail postal addressesthe andUnited postcodesKingdom}}

{{EngvarB|date=September 2017}}

{{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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==File structure==

Royal Mail's Programmers Guide<ref name=pg7v6>{{cite web|url=https://www.poweredbypaf.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/Latest-Programmers_guide_Edition-7-Version-6.pdf|title=Programmers Guide – Technical specifications for users of PAF® and associated raw data products, Edition 7, Version 6|date=2013|publisher=[[Royal Mail]]|access-date=2022-08-30}}</ref> lists the following address elements of PAF and their respective maximum field lengths:

{|class="wikitable"

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|}

Some versions of the PAF also contain the '' 'Delivery Point Suffix (DPS)' '' used in [[RM4SCC|CBC (Customer Bar Code)]]. Alternatively the DPS can be found using Royal Mail's '' 'Postcode Information File (PIF)'.''<ref>{{cite web|title=Know how: a user’suser's manual for Mailsort®, Walksort®, Presstream®, Cleanmail®, Presstream® Walksort®, Royal Mail International Bulk Mail™ and Automated Standard Tariff Large Letter®|url=http://www.royalmail.com/sites/default/files/docs/pdf/Know%20How%202006%20PIP%20vs%201.6a%20Accepted%20Changes.pdf|work=Royal Mail|access-date=23 February 2016|page=80|date=April 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160302020136/http://www.royalmail.com/sites/default/files/docs/pdf/Know%20How%202006%20PIP%20vs%201.6a%20Accepted%20Changes.pdf|archive-date=2 March 2016|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}</ref>

==Licensing==

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==Public sector licence==

Public sector organisations can now{{when|date=July 2022}} apply to use PAF under the public sector licence use terms. The current public sector licence willwas berenewed fullyin implementedApril on2023 1and runs until 31 March 2028.<ref>[https://www.gov.uk/government/news/public-sector-access-to-royal-mail-postcode-address-file-agreed-to-2028 Public sector access to Royal Mail Postcode Address File agreed to 2028], Department for Science, Innovation and Technology and Geospatial Commission, published 20 April 20152023, accessed 16 August 2023.</ref>

Royal Mail has worked along with the Department of Business, Innovation & Skills (BIS) & the Scottish government to develop the public sector licence. The public sector licence is being centrally paid for by these organisations so individual public sector organisations will no longer need to return PAF licence fees to Royal Mail.

The 2023-2028 public sector licence covers England, Wales and Scotland, and was procured centrally by the Geospatial Commission so that usage is free at the point of use for delivery of vital public services by the UK government, devolved administrations, local authorities, emergency services, health services, and search and rescue organisations. The contract now also incorporates Royal Mail Not Yet Built and Multiple Residence data.

The eligible public sector organisations will be able to use PAF within their organisation and on their website for non-commercial purposes. In addition, licensed public sector organisations will be able to share data with other licensed organisations and work collaboratively on data-led projects. The following types of organisations will be eligible:

RoyalThe Mailoriginal haspublic workedsector alonglicence withwas implemented on 1 April 2015, having been developed by Royal Mail, the Department of Business, Innovation & Skills (BIS) &and the Scottish government to develop the public sector licence. The public sector licence is beingwas centrally paid for by these organisations so individual public sector organisations will no longer needneeded to return PAF licence fees to Royal Mail.

* Central government

* Local government and emergency services

* Health authorities

* Search and rescue organisations

TheUnder the original licence, eligible public sector organisations will bewere able to use PAF within their organisation and on their website for non-commercial purposes. In addition, licensed public sector organisations will bewere able to share data with other licensed organisations and work collaboratively on data-led projects. The followingoriginal typeslicence ofwas organisationsavailable willto becentral eligible:government, local government, emergency services, health authorities and search and rescue organisations.

Any organisation wishing to apply can do so now through Royal Mail's Address Management Unit. The Public Sector Licence will be in place for an initial three years.

==Alias data==

The "alias file" is a supplementary file containing additional data which are not part of official postal addresses, including details that have changed over time, or have been amended by the public and then used. This file is used to identify these elements and [[cross-reference]] with the official postal address.

The alias file holds four types of record: locality, thoroughfare, delivery point alias, and county alias:

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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==

Between 2004 and 2006 a consultation was taken about the future management of the PAF. The proposal to release it for use at low or no cost was rejected, and the business model where it was used to raise money from profitable corporations was retained.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.psc.gov.uk/policy-and-consultations/consultations/postcode-address-file--management-of-information.html|title=Postcode Address File – review of the management of PAF|author=PostComm|access-date=5 October 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081120062729/http://www.psc.gov.uk/policy-and-consultations/consultations/postcode-address-file--management-of-information.html|archive-date=20 November 2008|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}</ref>

The accounts for the PAF for 2005/6 disclosed an income of £18million, 8.6% of which was profit.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.psc.gov.uk/postcomm/live/policy-and-consultations/consultations/postcode-address-file--management-of-information/PAF_decision_doc.pdf|title=Royal Mail's Future management of PAF|date=April 2007|access-date=5 October 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/2011093001174520090324084021/http://www.psc.gov.uk/postcomm/live/policy-and-consultations/consultations/postcode-address-file--management-of-information/PAF_decision_doc.pdf|archive-date=3024 SeptemberMarch 20112009|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}</ref>

Following a government consultation,<ref>[http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/corporate/ordnancesurveyconsultation DCLG: Policy options for geographic information from Ordnance Survey: Consultation] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091230115507/http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/corporate/ordnancesurveyconsultation |date=30 December 2009 }}</ref> on 1 April 2010 [[Ordnance Survey]] released co-ordinate data for all Great Britain postcodes (but not their address elements) for re-use free of charge under an attribution-only licence, as part of [[Ordnance Survey#Open data releases|OS OpenData]].