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® is a database of all UK addresses and postcodes. 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 versions of PAF® available – Full PAF® or Part PAF®. A full PAF® record comprises all known delivery address 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. You can see the PAF®product options on the Data Supply Order Form within the Support section.
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®. Licensed PAF® Solutions Providers can choose on the regularity on which they take PAF® updates. The options are:
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a complete edition of PAF® monthly, quarterly, bi-annually or annually
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a complete edition of PAF® followed by daily updates, monthly updates or quarterly updates
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taking updates only if you already have a complete edition of PAF®
Uses and benefits
Tens of thousands of businesses use PAF® every day in a software product that they buy from a Solutions Provider. Here are some common ways in which a Solutions Providers PAF® powered software solutions help their End-User customers:
1. Database management
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For standardising all address records in their customer database(s) and/or mailing purposes
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For correcting mistakes and filling gaps in their existing customer records
2. Mailing purposes
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For presenting their business in a professional way to their customers whenever they
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For improving the efficiency and speed of getting mail and parcels to their customers
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By cutting the costs associated with returned and undelivered mail
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By enabling them to qualify for discounts on Royal Mail mailing services
3. For improving customer service
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For verifying their customers’ address details over the telephone or online
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By making it quicker and easier for their customers to enter their address details and complete transactions when they shop online
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By providing online maps and location-based services to their customers
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By 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. Alternatively, our First Steps CD contains samples of PAF® and our other raw datasets. Request your free copy of First Steps now.
Technical information
Data and file information 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 and licence fees
The table below sets out the fees that you will need to collect from your End-User for their internal and external use of PAF®. You can also license PAF® on a Postcode Area basis. This costs £2 per Postcode Area.
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For your End-Users’ Internal use For example in a call centre |
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| Full PAF® only | Full PAF® & Full Not Yet Built™ | Full PAF®, Full Not Yet Built™ & Full Multiple Residence™ | ||
Single Legal Entity |
Per Transaction (click) Shared across the entity OR Per User Unlimited annual use for a single terminal |
£8 per 100 transactions £75 per User |
£9 per 100 transactions N/A |
£10 per 100 transactions N/A |
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Multiple User Blocks Up to 300 Users OR Unlimited Multiple User Blocks |
£4,125 £12,375 |
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Multiple Legal Entities |
Corporate Groups | £90,000 | ||
| Associate, Broker and Extended Use Groups | Up to £49,500 | |||
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For your End-Users’ External Use For use online |
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| Full PAF® only | Full PAF® & Full Not Yet Built™ | Full PAF®, Full Not Yet Built™ & Full Multiple Residence™ | |
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Per Transaction (click) Unlimited Transactions Fixed annual fee |
£1 per 100 transactions £4,000 |
£1.10 per 100 transactions £4,480 |
£1.20 per 100 transactions £4,960 |
| Corporate Groups | £45,000 | ||
If you act as a bureau, or if you license your End-Users to offer bureau services, 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 |
All Solutions Providers must pay the appropriate fees for the supply of their data. 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 |
Download the full Data Supply Agreement
You can view your Data Supply Order Form within the ‘Support’ section.
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.
How to buy
To buy a software solution containing Royal Mail’s address data
Find a supplier – you can either search by your addressing need or by keyword
To buy data from the Royal Mail Address Management Unit
Email us at address.management@royalmail.com or call us on 0845 606 6854 (option 3)
To become a Solutions Provider
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