Which address product should you use?

AddressBase product overview

There are four addressing products that make up our AddressBase product range, as well as the OS Places API​

The four addressing products that make up our AddressBase product range

The differences between them include:

• number of records

• detail of attribution

• how often you can receive updated data

• how well you can link it to other data​

AddressBase family product matrix

Using the different address products

AddressBase

AddressBase only holds the address records from Royal Mail’s Postcode Address File matched with a Local Authority UPRN

It is the simplest of the AddressBase products

Join using the UPRN to your LLPG to identify if there are any inconsistencies in formal addresses between them

Approximate records	29 million
Currency	Every 6 weeks
Supply	Full (gml) or COU (csv)
Format	CSV or GML, Full GB coverage or Area of Interest
Unique Identifier	UPRN, UDPRN, TOID

Example:

We want to compare our Local Land and Property Gazetteer addresses against what Royal Mail hold in their Postal Address File (PAF)

AddressBase records

AddressBase Core

AddressBase Core holds the address records from Royal Mail’s Postcode Address File and current address records from the Local Authority Land and Property Gazetteer

You can use AddressBase Core for any task that requires property addresses, and will benefit from a single line address field

AddressBase Core is available weekly, allowing you to hold the latest data on a more regular basis than the other AddressBase products

AddressBase Core contains an attribute for a single line address, removing the need to concatenate fields to create one

Approximate records	33million
Currency	weekly
Supply	Full (geopackage) or COU (csv)
Format	CSV or GeoPackage, Full GB coverage or Area of Interest
Unique Identifier	UPRN, USRN, TOID

Example:

We need a list of addresses that belong to the properties along these specific streets to update them on parking permit changes

AddressBase and AddressBase Core records

AddressBase Plus

AddressBase Plus holds the address records from Royal Mail’s Postcode Address File, current address records from the Local Authority Land and Property Gazetteer, and objects without postal addresses

You can use AddressBase Plus for tasks that require the need to identify existing properties and real world objects

It has the most detailed address classification code allowing for a more thorough understanding of property characteristics and usage (e.g. Commercial, Medical, Hospital, Hospice)

Approximate records	36.5 million
Currency	Every 6 weeks
Supply	Full (gml) or COU (csv)
Format	CSV or GML, Full GB coverage or Area of Interest
Unique Identifier	UPRN, USRN, TOID

Example:

What commercial property accommodating vulnerable members of society do we know are within a flood risk area in this town?

AddressBase, AddressBase Core and AddressBase Plus records

AddressBase Premium

AddressBase Premium holds the address records from Royal Mail’s Postcode Address File, all address records from the Local Authority Land and Property Gazetteer, and objects without postal addresses

You can use AddressBase Premium for tasks that require the need to identify past and present property use, planned building construction, and historic addresses because it includes all LPI records

Store the COU files to visualise change over time

Join to OS MasterMap using the TOID to make your building addresses 3D with the building height attribute

AddressBase Premium unlike the other 3 products gives you the ability to look at how land and property use changes over time, by offering data associated with the full UPRN lifecycle

Approximate records	42 million
Currency	Every 6 weeks
Supply	Full (gml or geopackage) or COU (csv)
Format	CSV, GML or GeoPackage, Full GB coverage or Area of Interest
Unique Identifier	UPRN, USRN, TOID

Example:

We need to recognise how our high streets are changing, and what impact urban sprawl is having on our towns and cities

AddressBase, AddressBase Core, AddressBase Plus and AddressBase Premium records

OS Places API

OS Places API contains AddressBase Premium data

You can use the API to make requests using full or partial address, a postcode, or a UPRN using either the Royal Mail (DPA) or Local Authority (LPI) Address (Royal Mail is the default)

Your searches can also find addresses closest to a given point, or all addresses within a defined area

You can use to maintain an address database

You can use in web mapping or on your website for address search functionality

Good for quick address search analysis

Useful if you don’t want to store address data locally

Approximate records	42 million
Currency	Daily
Format	API
Accessed	WEB URL – JSON IDE – JSON QGIS – OS Address Search plugin Esri – OS Places Connector

Example:

We need an address search function in our web application that will be accessible on our website and have rooftop accuracy

OS Places API search results

Summary

The AddressBase products and Places API offer an accurate account of addressing for land and property features

Each product can be more suited to specific tasks than others. AddressBase Premium gives you the richest amount of addressing data, but will require extra processing for more simplistic tasks

Places API gives you the ability to see daily updates, so as soon as changes in the LLPG are sent to GeoPlace and processed, they will appear in the API, so for public facing applications this provides the most up-to-date data

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Find out more

OS NGD Documentation

OS Data Hub

GitHub

OS Select and Build

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This content has been developed from what was originally a Lightning Talk PowerPoint slide set. These slides are available to PSGA members to view and download from the PSGA members area of the OS website