National Statistics Postcode Lookup for the UK, November 2021

November 2021 snapshot of the UK's National Statistics Postcode Lookup (NSPL), relating postcodes to statutory geographies. The dataset is produced by ONS Geography to support area-based statistics and is issued quarterly. The file is 196 MB and available in CSV and TXT formats.

Use Cases

• Generate area-based statistics from postcoded data based on the 'best-fit' allocation method described.
• Map current and terminated UK postcodes to current statutory geographies for administrative reporting.
• Support geographic analysis and data linkage using the 2011 Census Output Areas as a reference framework.

Strengths

• File size is 196 MB, indicating a substantial dataset.
• Data is produced by ONS Geography, the official geographic support unit for the UK's Office for National Statistics.
• Covers both current and terminated postcodes, providing historical continuity.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• Last updated 2025-08-11 07:51:28; freshness should be verified as the data snapshot is from November 2021.

Provenance

Source

Office for National Statistics (ONS) Geography via the Government Digital Service.

Collection Method

Produced via 'best-fit' allocation from the 2011 Census Output Areas, with some 'exact-fit' allocations.

Time Range

November 2021

Freshness

Issued quarterly; snapshot is from November 2021.

Geography

United Kingdom