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Appendix C - Valid Postcode Format: Guidance On Recording Valid Postcodes

This document provides guidance on recording valid postcodes for the Individualised Learner Record (ILR). It outlines the format of postcodes in the UK, which consist of outward and inward codes separated by a space. The outward code indicates the general delivery area, while the inward code further specifies the sector and individual delivery points. Generic postcode ZZ99 9ZZ should be used if the actual postcode is unknown.

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35 views2 pages

Appendix C - Valid Postcode Format: Guidance On Recording Valid Postcodes

This document provides guidance on recording valid postcodes for the Individualised Learner Record (ILR). It outlines the format of postcodes in the UK, which consist of outward and inward codes separated by a space. The outward code indicates the general delivery area, while the inward code further specifies the sector and individual delivery points. Generic postcode ZZ99 9ZZ should be used if the actual postcode is unknown.

Uploaded by

Mels
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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ILR Specification 2017 to 2018 – Appendix C – Valid postcode format

Appendix C – Valid Postcode Format


Version 1 – Published 28 April 2017

Guidance on recording valid postcodes

All postcodes on the ILR must be in upper case.

The postcode is a combination of between five and seven letters/numbers, which


define four different levels of geographic unit. It is part of a coding system created
and used by the Royal Mail across the United Kingdom for sorting mail. The
postcodes are an abbreviated form of address, which enable a group of delivery
points (a delivery point being a property or a post box) to be specifically identified.

Full valid postcodes can be located at the Royal Mail Postcode Finder website,
http://www.royalmail.com/postcode-finder.

Each postcode consists of two parts. The first part is the outward postcode, or out-
code. This is separated by a single space from the second part, which is the inward
postcode, or in-code.

The outward postcode enables mail to be sent to the correct local area for delivery.
This part of the code contains the area and the district to which the mail is to be
delivered.

The inward postcode is used to sort the mail at the local area delivery office. It
consists of a numeric character followed by two alphabetic characters. The numeric
character identifies the sector within the postal district. The alphabetic characters
then define one or more properties within the sector.

For example: PO1 3AX

PO refers to the postcode area of Portsmouth.

PO1 refers to a postcode district within the postcode area of Portsmouth

PO1 3 refers to the postcode sector.

PO1 3AX. The AX completes the postcode. The last two letters define the ‘unit
postcode’ which identifies one or more small user delivery points or an
individual large user

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ILR Specification 2017 to 2018 – Appendix C – Valid postcode format

Valid Formats

The following is a list of the valid formats of postcode. An ‘A’ indicates an alphabetic
character, an ‘N’ indicates a numeric character.

Format Example

Outcode Incode Postcode

AN NAA M11AA
ANN NAA M601NW
AAN NAA CR26XH
AANN NAA DN551PT
ANA NAA W1P1HQ
AANA NAA EC1A1BB

(Where  represents a space)

The following characters are never used in the inward part of the postcode:

CIKMOV

Generic postcode format

All of the following postcode fields in the ILR are mandatory. If the postcode is
unknown then the generic postcode of ZZ999ZZ must be returned.

Current Postcode
Postcode Prior to enrolment
Delivery location postcode

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