PAF® is a database of all UK addresses and postcodes. PAF® is used widely for the efficient delivery of mail and, increasingly, for online use particularly for address look-up, address verification, and in mapping software. We hope you can find all of the information you need about raw data and PAF® powered software solutions, however, if you have any questions please feel free to Contact Us.
Product information
PAF® contains:
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29 million business and residential addresses to which mail can be delivered
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1.8 million UK postcodes
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1.4 million business names
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Small User Residential, Small User Organisation and Large User Organisation details
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records for England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man
Please note: PAF® doesn’t include any address details for the Republic of Ireland or for addresses that are unable to receive mail such as telephone exchanges and electricity sub-stations. Also, since PAF® is a database of delivery points you won’t find the names of private individuals, except when it is the only method of identifying a Delivery Point.
PAF® product options There are two PAF® options available – Full PAF® or Part PAF®. A Full PAF® record comprises all known delivery address and postcode elements in the UK, whereas a Part PAF® record includes some of the same elements but not all. We have created a PDF to show the different data elements that are included in Full PAF® and Part PAF®.
PAF® data is also available for the full UK or on an individual Postcode Area basis.
Maintaining the quality of PAF® PAF® users value and depend upon the accuracy of the data we provide. Maintaining the accuracy of the data is the Address Management Unit’s number one priority. Royal Mail’s 65,000 postmen and women capture thousands of address changes every day that we use to continuously update PAF®. If you go on to purchase PAF® raw data from Royal Mail or become a Solutions Provider:
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take a complete edition of PAF® monthly, quarterly, bi-annually or annually
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take a complete edition of PAF® followed by daily updates, monthly updates or quarterly updates
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take updates only if you already have a complete edition of PAF®
Uses and benefits
Tens of thousands of businesses already use PAF® in a wide variety of innovative ways. Here are some common uses of PAF® along with examples of how End-User customers currently benefit from using the data:
1. For database management
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Standardising all address records in their customer database(s) and/or
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Correcting mistakes and filling in gaps in their existing customer records
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Using the postcode to link customer records together
2. For mailing purposes
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Presenting their business in a professional way to their customers whenever
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Improving the efficiency and speed of getting mail and parcels to their customers
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Cutting the costs associated with returned and undelivered mail
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Qualifying for discounts on Royal Mail mailing services
3. For improving customer service
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Verifying their customers’ address details over the telephone or online
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Making it quicker and easier for their customers to enter their address details and complete transactions when they shop online
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Providing online maps and location-based services to their customers
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Enabling their customers to look up addresses on their website
Sample data
If you are interested in developing your own software solutions that incorporate address data then you can download a sample of PAF®. Simply complete the registration process, accept our terms and download your data. You will also find a link to our PAF® Programmers Guide which will provide you with all of the necessary technical information.
Technical information
File formats Royal Mail supplies PAF® as raw data. There are three different PAF® files available:
1. Main File: The master database Main File contains complete Postcode and address information for over 29 million UK addresses. Main File contains no software and the raw data within it must be processed for use through IT applications.
2. Compressed Standard File: An expanded form of the Main File with over 29 million UK addresses in sequential order, as well as Delivery Point Suffix data.
3. Ranges File: A similar format to the Compressed Standard File, it takes up less space by ranging numbered properties on the same Postcode together in one record.
Address format The addresses held on PAF® are in a relational format, i.e. they are held as a series of alpha-numeric keys, or pointers, which relate to supporting files of Address element text rather than text. The supporting text files are:
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Localities File
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Thoroughfares File
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Thoroughfare Descriptor File
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Building Names File
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Sub Building Names File
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Organisations File
Each address on PAF® has an eight-digit number associated with it – the Address Key. This number in conjunction with the Organisation Key and Postcode Type identifies the address.
If you want to use PAF® raw data to develop your own solutions, you may want detailed technical information to help you with your programming. Learn more from our Programmers Guide
Licensing & licence fees
Fees for licensing the use of PAF®:
1. For standard business use If you choose to purchase PAF® raw data directly from Royal Mail, you will need to return license fees to us. The licensing fees are set out in the table below.
If you become a Solutions Provider, you will be responsible for returning the correct license fees to Royal Mail on behalf of your End-User customers.
If, however, you decide to purchase a PAF® – powered software solution from a PAF® Solutions Provider then they will be responsible for returning fees to Royal Mail on your behalf. The licensing fees that your Solutions Provider will need to return are set out in the table below.
| Basis of Calculating License Fee | Fee per complete UK version of the Data (per annum) | Fee per Postcode Area or per Limited Record Selection (per annum) |
| User |
£75 per Low Volume User £75 per High Volume User |
£2 per Low Volume User £2 per High Volume User |
| Multiple User Block (up to 300 Users) | £4,125 per Multiple User Block (subject to paragraphs 3.6 to 3.8 of Annex 5) | £50 per Multiple User Block (subject to paragraphs 3.6 to 3.8 of Annex 5) |
|
Unlimited Multiple User Blocks (Per End-User other than in respect of Extended Use Solutions, Associate Groups and Broker Groups) |
£12,375 | £150 |
| Unlimited Multiple User Blocks for Associate Groups (Per Associate Group) | £24,750 | £300 |
| Unlimited Multiple User Blocks for Broker Groups and Extended Use Solutions (Per Broker Group and per Extended Use Solution) | £49,500 | £600 |
|
Transaction* (Internal Transaction Solutions, Extended Use Solutions, Associate Group Solutions and Broker Group Solutions) |
100 Transactions – £8 | N/A |
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Transaction* (External Transaction Solutions and Look Up Solutions) |
100 Transactions – £1 | N/A |
| Unlimited Transactions (External Transaction Solutions only) | £4,000 | N/A |
The fees in the table are based on licensing Full PAF® * Customers who take PAF® raw data from Royal Mail cannot license the data on a transactional basis
Royal Mail customers can also license Postcode Area too for £150 per Postcode Area. If you have any questions about our licensing fees please Contact Us
2. For bureau use If you act as a bureau you will need to return the following bureau fees:
| Number of records in third party database cleansed or processed in immediately preceding financial year |
Bureau Fee (per annum) |
| Up to one (1) million | £250 |
| Over one (1) million and up to ten (10) million | £750 |
| Over ten (10) million and up to one hundred (100) million | £3,750 |
| Over one hundred (100) million | £10,000 |
Fees for the supply of PAF® If you purchase PAF® raw data from Royal Mail or choose to become a Solutions Provider you will be required to pay the appropriate data supply fees. The costs vary depending on how regularly you want your data to be refreshed and on whether you choose to receive your data on a CD or via an online download.
| Data Supply Medium Option | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Online | CD | ||
| The Annual Package | |||
| 1 | 1 x Complete Edition | £300 | £400.00 |
| The Updates Package | |||
| 2 | 2 x Half-Yearly Complete Editions | £600 | £800.00 |
| 3 | 4 x Quarterly Complete Editions | £750 | £1,000.00 |
| 4 | 12 x Monthly Complete Editions | £900 | £1,200.00 |
| The Changes Package | |||
| 5 | 1 Complete Edition* and 3 x Quarterly Updates (Changes) | £750.00 | £1,000.00 |
| 6 | 1 x Complete Edition* and 11 x Monthly Updates (Changes) | £900.00 | £1,200.00 |
| 7 | 1 x Complete Edition* and Daily Updates (Changes) | £2,250.00 | N/A |
| 8 | 4 x Quarterly Updates (Changes) – not obtainable in year one | £750.00 | £1,000.00 |
| 9 | 12 x Monthly Updates (Changes) – not obtainable in year one | £900.00 | £1,200.00 |
| 10 | Daily Updates (Changes) – not obtainable in year one | £2,250.00 | N/A |
∗For Options 5, 6 and 7 the Complete Edition must be on CD.
How to buy
To buy PAF® raw data from the Royal Mail Address Management Unit
Email us: address.management@royalmail.com Call us: 0845 606 6854 (option 3)
To buy a PAF® software solution
Find a supplier You can either search by your addressing need or by keyword
To become a PAF® Solutions Provider
Contact us
Other products you may be interested in
Multiple Residence™ Whilst PAF® provides details of business and residential addresses; Multiple Residence™ identifies separate dwellings or businesses that sit behind the address delivery point.
Not Yet Built™ PAF® is a database of addresses that are capable of receiving mail, however, Not Yet Built™ contains records of properties planned and under construction.
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