Geocoding postcodes and grid reference : PostView Points by Beacon Dodsworth

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Geocoding

UK postcode geocoderPostView Points geocoder

PostView Points is a basic geographical lookup table which lists all the 1.8 million UK postcodes and their grid references. With this information, postcodes are plotted on a map and the crow fly distance between all UK postcodes is generated answering "Where's my nearest…from my postcode?" questions.

Postcode updates

PostView Points has recently been updated to incorporate the postcode changes in the Royal Mail Update 43. It also comes with details of all past postcode changes so you can find the correct postcode for unrecognised ones.

Search the postcode updates for changes since Update 1 (e.g. 'CM7 5BS', 'CM7 5', 'CM7').

What can I use PostView Points for?

Use PostView Points alongside your customer database to plot your customers on a map or work out the crow fly distance between two postcodes (e.g. their home and your store). PostView Points allows you to take a set of co-ordinates and convert them into postcodes or vice versa.

Use PostView Points in a GIS to map locations or on a website or PC as a postcode look up tool.

If you want us to do the mapping for you, see our bureau service for details.

What makes up PostView Points?

Sourced from the Royal Mail Postcode Address File (PAF®) the data making up PostView Points is the most up-to-date and complete postcode database in the UK, containing over 27 million addresses and 1.8 million postcodes. We refine and improve the file by calculating grid references for all postcodes* as the PAF® does not always provide the co-ordinates of updated or new postcodes. Longitude and Latitude fields can also be included as a free optional extra.

* excluding Isle of Man, Jersey and Guernsey, for which grid references do not exist   

We also sell the PAF® as sourced from the Royal Mail. Click here for more details.

PostView Points Simple

PostView Points Simple gives the grid reference and Longitude and Latitude for every UK postcode. See below for a sample. 

PostcodeGrid referenceLongitudeLatitude
EastNorth
AB35 5YX 314800 791300 -3.404346669 57.004931139
EX1 2RR 293900 92300 -3.504434878 50.720596099
LS5 3JB 426300 435600 -1.602040395 53.816038747

PostView Points Complex

If you want details on the postcode area, town, locality and county that the postcode falls within, PostView Points Complex provides these details. Longitude and Latitude co-ordinates can also be supplied. This information allows you to conduct postcode to town searches or find the postcode area a known place name is within. See below for a sample.

Postcode
Grid reference Postcode
area
Post town
Locality
County
EastNorth
AB35 5YX 314800 791300 AB Ballater Braemar Aberdeenshire
EX1 2RR 293900 92300 EX Exeter Heavitree Devon
LS5 3JB 426300 435600 LS Leeds Kirkstall West Yorkshire

PostView Places  

Use PostView Places in a GIS to plot locations or on a website or PC to identify the postcode sector a known place name is within.

Postcode
sector

Grid reference Name
EastNorth
AB35 5 324275 800949 Daldownie
EX1 2 252528 132323 Bicklington
LS5 3 426642 435576 Kirkstall

Prices

The prices below are for a full UK single-user annual licence agreement. As part of the licence, you receive updates of postcode changes as and when they are released by Royal Mail. We supply the data as a comma delimited text file or Access database.

PostView Points Simple £425
PostView Points Complex £600
PostView Places  £280

For multi-user and web-licence prices or to buy any of the above data products, call us on 01904 701020 or complete our enquiry form.