National Change of Address Suppress (NCOA® Suppress)

The NCOA® Suppress File uses data from Royal Mail’s Redirection service. This allows you to flag your customer database and/or enquirer, prospect data to say that individual has gone away. The file contains approximately 43 million records dating back to 1995, and continues to grow at the rate of around 100,000 records per month.

Reliable data

Our data is collected directly from the Redirection application forms completed by consumers who are in the process of moving home.

How it works

Royal Mail provides a Redirection service to members of the public who wish to have their mail redirected when they are in the process of moving home. To apply for this service, customers complete an application form including details of their name, old address, new address, email and telephone numbers. Customers can submit applications directly via a local Post Office®, complete online or alternatively over the telephone. All applications are ID verified for security purposes, which means that the data is extremely accurate.

Maximum accuracy

The NCOA® Suppress File contains only data sourced from our Redirection services, so all data is fully verified. It also provides a Return Reason flag that tells you whether the record is a result of an address move or death. We have also used all available information to demonstrate the impact of previous address moves, ensuring maximum accuracy of suppression information. 

Access to the most recent move

We offer monthly, weekly or daily update feeds, so you benefit from the most recent information available.

Enhanced efficiency

With better and more precise targeting, your campaigns will be more effective, improving both your ROI and communications. Maintaining and enhancing our database an ongoing basis increases your efficiency and, if you flag your gone aways, you’ll learn which customer segment has decreased. With that information, you can decide to replace them with either like for like, or a new profile type. You have the resources to plan you acquisition activity.

Combined efficiency – NCOA® Update

Sometimes, retaining existing customers is more cost-effective than finding new ones. With Royal Mail NCOA® Update you can maintain contact with your customers when they move home. NCOA® Update allows you to simply and effectively update customer records with their new address. You save time and money. Used in conjunction with NCOA® Suppress, NCOA® Update will provide you with one of the most effective combinations available to ensure that your customer databases are kept up-to-date.

We’ve also enhanced our NCOA® Update product and created a separate file containing customer’s email address and telephone numbers. This file will be available in the near future and will allow you to update customer email and telephone details as well as address information, making multi channel communication even easier. Find out more about NCOA® Update.