United Kingdom Post Codes & Zip Codes List

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What Is UK Postcode or UK Zipcode:

UK Zipcode or Postcode consist of letters and numbers used for UK addressing and delivery system. Zipcodes are regarded as Postcodes in the UK. So to put it correctly, UK zip code number is the same as UK post code number.

What Is UK PIN Code:

UK PIN Code is also known as UK Postal Code, UK Postcode or UK Zipcode. PIN code is the Postal Index Number code system commonly used in India.

What Is The Difference Between Post Code, Zip Code And PIN Code:

These three terms: Post Code, Zip Code and PIN Code are used interchangeably and are essentially the same in meaning and in purpose - which is to easily assign and identify a location. The term Zip code is mainly used in the USA; PIN Code is commonly used in India and Post Code is commonly used in UK and in some other countries around the world.

Postcodes in the UK - United Kingdom

A postcode in the UK usually consists of two alphanumeric codes that identify a post town and a few addresses within it. The Outward code (Outcode) contains two to four characters, while the Inward code (Incode) always contains three. The Outcode identifies the postcode area. It starts with one or two letters and ends with one, two, or three digits. Then a space and the Incode, which indicates the sector and delivery point (usually a group of around 15 addresses). This three-character incode starts with a number (indicating a district sector) and ends with two letters (denoting delivery points which are allocated to streets, sides of a street or individual properties). Postcodes are usually, but not always, named after major cities, like B for Birmingham. Some are geographical, like HS for Outer Hebrides and FY for Fylde (the region around Blackpool).

Each UK Postcode district also known as UK Postal code district has a number of non-alphabetized post towns that typically contain one or more postcode districts. For example, the GU postcode area, named after Guildford, covers much of southern England. GU1 and GU2 are the postcode districts for Guildford. Woking, a post town in the GU22 postal district, is 6 miles away. The prefix 1 indicates the central business district of the town/city, e.g. B1 (Birmingham), LS1 (Leeds), M1 (Manchester) (Manchester). These are treated either alphabetically (particularly in London, where Chingford is E4 and Walthamstow is E17) or geographically (the Outer Hebrides area HS numbers the districts north to south).

As a rule, large post towns have higher-numbered districts in the outlying areas. However, the post towns within a postal area can be numbered for various reasons. Except for the town named after the postal area, this is always 1. The postcode alone cannot reliably infer a postcode district's centrality within a postcode area. Examples of SE1 include much of Central London south of the Thames, while SE2 includes Abbey Wood at the Elizabeth Line's terminus. You can use the search interface on this page as a postcode checker or postcode finder in uk including postcode map and description.

Postcodes are used for many purposes besides mail sorting, including UK post code such as calculating insurance premiums, routing software, and census enumeration. In addition to storing postcode boundaries, the Postcode Address File database also stores full address data for approximately 29 million addresses (delivery points). In 1917, London was divided into broad numbered subdivisions, which were expanded to other cities in 1934. However, this is against Royal Mail guidelines, which require a complete address.

Formatting

Postcodes are alphanumeric and range from 6 to 8 characters (including a space). The outward code and the inward code are separated by a single space in each postcode.
Outward Code: The outward code or outcode contains two or four characters which represents the postcode area and district.
Inward Code: The inward code or incode usually contains three characters which represents the postcode sector and unit.
Examples of UK Postcodes include: "SW1W 0NY", "PO16 7GZ", "GU16 7HF", and "L1 8JQ".

Sorting

Postcodes are used to sort letters manually using labeled frames or increasingly with letter-coding systems with machine assistance. Automated sorting that reads printed postcodes is best suited for mail with a consistent layout and addressing format.

A long string of "faced" letters is presented to a keyboard operator at a coding desk who types the postcodes in coloured phosphor dots onto the envelopes. The associated machine uses these dots to direct letter bundles into the appropriate delivery office-specific bags. The bundles can be further sorted using the dots of the inward sorting code, ensuring that each delivery round receives only its own letters. This feature is only used in large sorting offices that handle high volumes of mail.

In the absence of postcodes (uk postcode number), the operator reads the post town's name and inserts a code sufficient for outward sorting to the post town. The letter bundles are transported to the delivery office by road, air, or train. Manually handled mail is "set in," i.e. sorted into the walk order that allows the deliverer to make the most convenient round trip. The latter is now being automated by walk sequencing machines.

Integrated Mail Processors

They read the postcode and convert it to two phosphorus barcodes, which the machines then print and read, sorting the mail to the correct outward postcode. Letters can also be sorted sequentially using a Compact Sequence Sorter (CSS) that reads the incoming postcode in the order a walking postman/woman will deliver them. An item with an inward-facing phosphorous barcode has an outer-facing phosphorous barcode.

United Kingdom - UK Description

The UK is Europe's biggest island. It consists of four countries: England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland, plus numerous islands worldwide. Except for a land border with Ireland, the country is entirely surrounded by water.

The United Kingdom occupies 242,900 square miles of land in northwest Europe. It has a population of over 63 million, with over 8 million living in London. Liverpool, Newcastle, Nottingham, Sheffield, Bristol, Belfast, and Leicester are also large cities in the UK. The official language is English, and the currency is sterling. It is a parliamentary monarchy. The United Kingdom is a major player in global politics and economics.

History Of The UK

The UK has a long and convoluted history. The United Kingdom and its people believe that the area now known as Britain was first inhabited thousands of years ago during the Ice Age. The UK's land mass was once connected to the rest of Europe. The UK was not considered sovereign until the 1707 union of Scotland and England. In 1800, a treaty incorporated Ireland into the union.

With its global power and influence, the Union grew. The UK controlled a quarter of the world's land at the turn of the century. After WWII, the country lost control of several colonies. United Kingdom comprises British Isles, Northern Ireland, and a few other nearby islands. Until 2016, the UK was a member of the EU. Nonetheless, its impact on global processes is unique.

The UK Economy

The UK has a strong, developed economy that led the Industrial Revolution in the nineteenth century. A military victor after WWII, but a crippled manufacturing sector. The postwar recovery was slow, and it took nearly 40 years for the British economy to become competitive, with EC membership providing additional stimulus after 1973. (which was eventually succeeded by the European Union [EU]). In the 1990s, the economy grew at a similar rate to other advanced industrial nations.

Manufacturing's contribution to GDP has dwindled to around one-fifth, with services driving growth. Its main trading partners shifted from the former empire to other EU members, who accounted for over half of its tangible goods trade. The US remained a major trading and investment partner, and Japan invested heavily in domestic manufacturing. The UK is a popular choice for American and Japanese companies to base themselves in Europe Other rapidly developing East Asian economies cited the UK's open market as a significant outlet.

Euroskepticism, a movement advocating political and economic disengagement from the EU, gained momentum in the UK in the 1990s. Support for this position grew so strong in the second decade of the twenty-first century that voters were asked to vote on the UK's continued EU membership. On January 31, 2020, the United Kingdom will officially withdraw from the European Union, kicking off a period of economic transition and uncertainty.

Throughout the 1980s, Margaret Thatcher's Conservative government sought to privatize or denationalize previously state-owned businesses. Tens of thousands of jobs in coal mining and heavy industry were lost due to privatization and widespread labor unrest. While the nation's standard of living improved, the South East, including London, prospered more than the heavily industrialized West Midlands, northern England, Clydeside, and Belfast. Inequality widened in the 1980s and 1990s. Until the late 1990s, both unemployment and inflation rates remained high. The country's economic strength remained derived from its global financial center status. Its offshore gas and oil exploration in the North Sea between 1967 and 1975 reduced reliance on coal and imported oil and boosted the economy.

How Can I Find My Postcode or Zipcode in UK?

Before we explain how to find postcode in UK. A structural look at Zipcode in UK; There are three main attributes of UK ZIP Codes and they are:
1. Uniqueness: assigned to a single unique address
2. Post Office Box-only: assigned specifically for PO Boxes.
3. Standard: a standard ZIP Code in the UK consist of both letters and numbers
There are several ways to find out the zip or postal code of any location in the UK, they are:
1. Go to UK PostCode Website or UK Post Code Finder.
2. On the search form that is in the top right hand of the page, enter in the address, city or county that you want to find its zip.
3. Click on search to submit the form and query for the location you entered.
4. Your Zip code as well as Post code numbers will be displayed.

How Many Postcodes Are There In The UK?

As of 2021, there are approximately 1.8 million postcodes in the UK. Each postcode represents a geographic area that includes a number of delivery points, such as homes, businesses, and other buildings. The postcode system was introduced in the UK in the 1950s as a way to simplify and standardize the process of delivering mail.

Today, postcodes are widely used not only for mail delivery, but also for various other purposes, such as marketing, demographics analysis, and geographic information systems (GIS). The system is maintained by the Royal Mail, which assigns postcodes to new addresses and updates the database as necessary to reflect changes in the UK's infrastructure and population.

How Many Postal Addresses Are In The UK?

There are about 30 million postal addresses in use in the UK. Each postcode covers an average of around 17 addresses each.
Let's do the maths:
1.8 Million Postcodes X 17 Addresses = 30 Million Postal Addresses - Approx.

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UK Postcode or UK Zipcode Search Terms

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This website provides all post code in UK, including UK map, UK states, UK county zipcode, UK city zipcode and many more.