FAQ About UK Postcodes

A postcode area is the first part of a UK postcode that represents a broader geographic region. It consists of one or two letters that are derived from the name of the main city, town, or geographic feature within that area. There are 124 postcode areas in the UK, and they serve as the starting point for the hierarchical postcode system.

For example, in the postcode "SW1A 1AA", the "SW" stands for South West London, which is the postcode area. Other examples of postcode areas include "M" for Manchester, "B" for Birmingham, and "EH" for Edinburgh.

Postcode areas are further divided into postcode districts, sectors, and units to pinpoint locations with increasing precision.