# Documentation

Code-Point with Polygons is a dataset that contains the notional area of postcode units in Great Britain, designed to allow customers to display and analyse any data collected at the postcode level. Polygons within this product are derived from georeferenced Royal Mail Postal Address File (PAF) delivery addresses and processed using a Thiessen process to create mathematically consistent boundaries between distinct postcode groups as a notional boundary set.

The polygon data coverage is Great Britain for all formats; the associated Code-Point points coverage is for the United Kingdom (as it includes Northern Ireland postcodes) for all formats apart from GeoPackage, which is Great Britain coverage only, not Northern Ireland.

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**This product is updated quarterly in January, April, July and October.**
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<figure><img src="/files/l6dk8r2kkBx9T0JYs2z0" alt="Representation of Code-Point wiith Polygons data showing postcodes extents visualised against a background map" width="563"><figcaption><p>Representation of Code-Point with Polygons data showing postcodes extents visualised against a background map.</p></figcaption></figure>

{% tabs %}
{% tab title="Benefits" %}
**Visualise postcode extents**

Code-Point with Polygons provides notional extents for every postcode unit in Great Britain for easy visualisation and analysis at a national scale.

**Vertical street polygons**

Vertical street polygons allow easy identification of multiple postcodes within the same building.

**Precise polygon data**

Postcode polygons are created using the addresses we can locate precisely, creating high confidence in the accuracy of the data.

**Manage your risks better**

Display postcode boundaries on a map, then add contours and your own claims data. This is a great way to identify low-lying postcodes, so you can quote for insurance at a price that reflects higher flood risks.
{% endtab %}

{% tab title="Use Cases" %}
You can use the product to:

* Analyse geographically based information or statistics by postcode
* Display information that has been analysed or sorted by postcode
  {% endtab %}

{% tab title="Summary" %}

* **Access:** Download via the [OS Data Hub](https://osdatahub.os.uk/)
* **Data theme:** Administrative and Statistical Units
* **Data structure:** Vector – Polygons and points
* **Coverage:** Great Britain for polygons data and GeoPackage format of points data; UK for points data:

| Format            | Polygons                                     | Points                                       |
| ----------------- | -------------------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------- |
| Shapefile         | 120 files covering Great Britain             | 121 (CSV) files covering  the United Kingdom |
| MapInfo MID / MIF | 120 files covering Great Britain             | 121 (CSV) files covering the United Kingdom  |
| MapInfo TAB file  | 120 files covering Great Britain             | 121 (CSV) files covering the United Kingdom  |
| Vector tiles      | Single MBTiles file covering Great Britain   | 121 (CSV) files covering the United Kingdom  |
| GeoPackage        | Single database table covering Great Britain | Single database table covering Great Britain |

* **Scale:** 1:1 250 to 1:10 000
* **Format:** Shapefile, MapInfo MID / MIF, MapInfo TAB file, vector tiles (MBTiles), GeoPackage (GPKG)
* **Ordering area:** All of Great Britain for polygons data and GeoPackage format of points data; UK for points data
* **Publication months:** January, April, July, October
  {% endtab %}
  {% endtabs %}

## How to get this product

Access to this product is free for PSGA (Public Sector Geospatial Agreement) Members. You can [check if your organisation is a member of the PSGA on the OS website](https://www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/customers/public-sector/psga-member-finder).

The [Code-Point with Polygons product page on the OS website](https://www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/products/code-point-polygons#get) has advice on how to get the product for businesses, developers, OS Partners and PSGA Members (i.e. government and the public sector).

## Sample data

### Download Code-Point with Polygons sample data <a href="#download-os-egs-sample-data" id="download-os-egs-sample-data"></a>

You can download sample data for the product for free from the [OS Data Hub](https://osdatahub.os.uk/data/downloads/sample/CodePointWithPolygons). The sample data are available in ESRI Shapefile, MIF and TAB formats and cover three areas (Exeter, Newport and Inverness).

### Visualise Code-Point with Polygons sample data online

This product is available to try out free online using one of our three sets of sample data (Exeter, Newport and Inverness) through the OS MasterMap Product Viewer:

<table data-view="cards" data-full-width="false"><thead><tr><th></th><th></th><th data-hidden></th><th data-hidden data-card-cover data-type="image">Cover image</th><th data-hidden data-card-target data-type="content-ref"></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><strong>OS MasterMap Product Viewer</strong></td><td>Interactive demonstrator of OS MasterMap Generation data</td><td></td><td data-object-fit="cover" data-alt="Example image showing OS VectorMap Local product data over an urban area."><a href="/files/13IfDwH5Bbrf5BdDSFDn">/files/13IfDwH5Bbrf5BdDSFDn</a></td><td><a href="https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/20981dabcb14402687dccb437a4a78fb/">https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/20981dabcb14402687dccb437a4a78fb/</a></td></tr></tbody></table>

## Other ways to access this data

#### API

OS National Geographic Database (OS NGD) postcode point and polygon data for Great Britain is available via an API: [OS NGD API – Features](https://docs.os.uk/os-apis/accessing-os-apis/os-ngd-api-features). [Visit the OS API docs site](https://docs.os.uk/os-apis) to unlock programmatic access to rich geospatial data and integrate OS data and services into your applications.

#### OS NGD

Access to postcode polygon data is now available through the [Postcode Unit Area Feature Type of the OS NGD](https://docs.os.uk/osngd/data-structure/administrative-and-statistical-units/gb-postcodes/postcode-unit-area). The feature type has full Great Britain coverage. Polygons within this feature type are derived from georeferenced Royal Mail PAF delivery addresses and include the whole building associated with a delivery point.

You may find OS NGD data more accessible and easier to use with databases and GIS software than Code-Point with Polygons. [Visit the OS NGD docs site](https://docs.os.uk/osngd) to discover how to access the OS NGD and learn what's available.

## What's next?

To access documentation and resources relating to this product, please refer to the following:

<table data-view="cards"><thead><tr><th></th><th></th><th data-hidden data-card-cover data-type="image">Cover image</th><th data-hidden data-card-target data-type="content-ref"></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><p><strong>Overview</strong></p><p>The overview introduces Code-Point with Polygons, giving context for all users – highlighting key features, providing examples of uses, and listing details such as file sizes, supply formats, etc.</p></td><td></td><td data-object-fit="cover" data-alt="Example image showing Code-Point with Polygons product data over a background map."><a href="/files/YfKkTKA9Ym5ICRmwDG38">/files/YfKkTKA9Ym5ICRmwDG38</a></td><td><a href="/pages/N1QA0u0cXB8iYGLuW0gG">/pages/N1QA0u0cXB8iYGLuW0gG</a></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Getting Started Guide</strong></p><p>The getting started guide provides instructions for using Code-Point with Polygons in different software applications. Users with limited technical knowledge will be able to follow this guide.</p></td><td></td><td data-object-fit="cover" data-alt="Example image showing Code-Point with Polygons product data over a background map."><a href="/files/XnRoGAn7jwZRyGYqhrOH">/files/XnRoGAn7jwZRyGYqhrOH</a></td><td><a href="/pages/My6XLl5aJ8ZIwxzOgGps">/pages/My6XLl5aJ8ZIwxzOgGps</a></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Technical Specification</strong></p><p>The technical specification provides detailed technical information about Code-Point with Polygons. It is targeted at technical users and software developers.</p></td><td></td><td data-object-fit="cover" data-alt="Example image showing Code-Point with Polygons product data over a background map."><a href="/files/Ny6pvaByswAVlw4usRjN">/files/Ny6pvaByswAVlw4usRjN</a></td><td><a href="/pages/bqKZm1kN6RcFxI9CU01V">/pages/bqKZm1kN6RcFxI9CU01V</a></td></tr><tr><td><strong>Ordnance Survey Website</strong></td><td>View Code-Point with Polygons product information and find out how to get this product on the OS website.</td><td></td><td><a href="https://www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/products/code-point-polygons">https://www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/products/code-point-polygons</a></td></tr></tbody></table>

{% hint style="info" %}
New users should start with the Overview to gain high-level insight into the product. The Getting Started Guide will help you to begin using product data in different software systems. The Technical Specification contains detailed technical insights.
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