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Royal Mail ®
 
 

Postcode Address File (PAF®)



Postcode Address File (PAF®) is the latest database of all known UK Postcodes and addresses. If you do not wish to program PAF then we can supply it to you in a pre-written application called UK Addresses.

Cost savings

PAF lets you sort your mail with a full list of correct Postcodes, helping to reduce your postage costs with our Workshare services – Mailsort®, Presstream® and Cleanmail®

Regular updates

Update your PAF easily using complete monthly or quarterly editions. You can also choose to program individual changes files, these cost less but there is more work for you. Here is the complete list of combinations, some of these are available as internet downloads:

  • One complete PAF edition and three quarterly changes files
  • One complete PAF edition and 11 changes files
  • One complete PAF edition plus daily downloadable changes files
  • Four quarterly complete PAF editions
  • Twelve monthly complete PAF editions
  • Daily downloadable changes files*
  • Four quarterly changes files*
  • Twelve monthly changes files*

*Not available to first-time buyers.


UDPRN now available

Royal Mail has recently introduced the ‘Unique Delivery Point Reference Number’ or UDPRN to every Delivery Point on PAF. It is a simple and unique 8 character reference number that can be used to identify a single address. This optional data is supplied free of charge to all Mainfile or Compressed Standard File customers (no Ranges version is available) who require it.

Please click here for UDPRN Technical information.


Flexible media and file formats

PAF is available on two different file formats; CD-ROM and Internet Download (Changes only).

  • Main File: The PAF Main File is a relational raw data product (this means that it contains grouped or related address data, as well as Mailsort codes and Delivery Point Suffix data)  It is the master database containing complete Postcode and address information for over 28 million UK addresses.  Main File contains no software and the raw data within it must be processed for use within IT applications. 
  • Compressed Standard File: An expanded form of the Main File with approximately 28 million addresses in sequential order, as well as Delivery Point Suffix data
  • Ranges File: A similar format to the Compressed Standard File, but takes up less space by ranging numbered properties on the same Postcode together in one record.


For more in-depth technical information on all raw data products please see the "PAF User Guide" below.  


Try before you buy

You can test samples of this product, together with many other raw data datasets, on our interactive CD-Rom, use it to decide what is the right kind of data for you. The CD also holds our Raw Data Technical Guide & a handy guide to Address Management Products. Before sending us your completed order form, please check you understand the technical requirements. Click here to order the data-taster.

If you wish to discuss our product range and choose the right media format for your business , please call us on 08456 06 6854 (option 2) from 8.00am to 5.00pm, Monday to Friday. If you would prefer to email us then please send them to:

address.management@royalmail.com.


Document Library

Download product information, from application forms to user guides.

All the documents are available to download in Adobe Acrobat PDF format. If you don't already have it you can download the free Acrobat Reader.

User Guide Last Updated
Programmers' Guide to PAF® raw data products
User guide to the Postcode Address File (PAF)
Version 2.0 November09, File Size 1561 kb
18/11/09