• SpatialData.gov.scot
  •  
  •  
  •  

Postcode Units Grid References - Scotland

Postcode grid references are created and maintained by National Records of Scotland (NRS) for every live small user postcode to accompany the postcode unit boundaries.


Postcode grid references are used in point in polygon processes to allocate each postcode to a set of higher area geographies (e.g. Health Boards).


Grid references are published twice a year as part of the Scottish Postcode Directory (SPD) which should be considered the definitive source for postcode geographies in Scotland.

Default

Identification info

Metadata Language
English
Character set
UTF8
Dataset Reference Date (Creation)
2017-04-02
Dataset Reference Date (Revision)
2025-02-13
Identifier
www.nrscotland.gov.uk / NRS_SPD_GridRef
Publisher
  National Records of Scotland - Geography ( Geography Branch )
General Register House, 2 Princes Street , Edinburgh , Scotland , EH1 3YY , United Kingdom
Maintenance and update frequency
Biannually

GEMET - INSPIRE themes, version 1.0

  • Statistical units

GEMET - Concepts, version 2.4

  • statistical data

IPSV Subjects List

  • Postcodes

  • Boundaries

Limitations on Public Access
Other restrictions
Other constraints
No limitations to public access
Use constraints
Other restrictions
Other constraints

This dataset is being made available for your personal, non-commercial use under the terms of the INSPIRE End User Licence because it includes Ordnance Survey (OS) Licensed data. By viewing and or downloading this dataset you will have been deemed to have accepted the terms of this licence. You may not sub-license, distribute, sell or otherwise make available any part of this dataset to third parties (including others within your business), except where expressly authorised in writing by us (the Licensor) and OS (for example, by having a valid licence for the data used in the creation of this dataset).

Other constraints

Where re-use is permitted, the following attribution statements from us must be incorporated into the form of any other required acknowledgement needed to be used under that authorisation: © Crown copyright and database rights (insert year) (organisation covered by Crown copyright) – i.e. “© Crown copyright and database rights (insert year) National Records of Scotland”.

Other constraints

For more information, PSGA members should look at the public sector licensing guidance at https://www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/business-government/public-sector-geospatial-agreement or contact OS via https://www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/contact-us.

Other constraints
INSPIRE End User Licence
Spatial representation type
Vector
Denominator
1250
Topic category
  • Location
Code
S92000003
N
S
E
W


Temporal reference

Temporal extent
Begin
2025
End
2025
 
Temporal extent
 
 
Code
EPSG:4258
Code
EPSG:27700

Distribution Information

Data format

Data format
Name Version

WMS

1.3.0

WFS

2.0.0

ESRI Shapefile

1.0

 

Transfer options

Resource Locator
Protocol Resource Locator Name

OGC:WMS

https://maps.gov.scot/server/services/NRS/SPD/MapServer/WMSServer?

PostcodeGridRef

OGC:WFS

https://maps.gov.scot/server/services/NRS/SPD/MapServer/WFSServer?

SPD:PostcodeGridRef

WWW:LINK-1.0-http--link https://www.nrscotland.gov.uk/statistics-and-data/geography-products/#

National Records of Scotland

 
 

Data quality info

Quality Scope
Dataset
Conformity
Commission Regulation (EU) No 1089/2010 of 23 November 2010 implementing Directive 2007/2/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards interoperability of spatial data sets and services
Explanation
Degree
false
Statement

National Records of Scotland (NRS) delineate a notional boundary around address content of a live small user postcode utilising real world features depicted in Ordnance Survey’s MasterMap® product. Each postcode boundary is assigned a grid reference (or centroid) by NRS, choosing either the building nearest to the centre of the most populous part of the postcode, or the grid reference from Gridlink® - the brand name for the joint approach to creating postcode location products that relate unit postcodes to geographic areas (e.g. Electoral Wards, Health Boards, etc.). As postcode boundaries are subject to continuous change, the grid references may change as the content and shape of the postcode boundaries are altered.


This dataset is formally issued twice a year as part of National Records of Scotland’s Scottish Postcode Directory (SPD). In addition to postcode geographies, the SPD contains a database detailing the higher geographies that each postcode is assigned to. NRS produce two versions of the SPD, one containing Royal Mail Delivery Point information and another without. If you require delivery point information please contact customer services.


Note the published version of the SPD does not include Royal Mail information on Delivery Point Count (DPC), Delivery Point Count Non-Residential (DPCNR) or Household Count (HC). Those interested in this information should enquire with NRS Geography Customer Services


For more information please visit the Geography policies and information notes page of the NRS website https://www.nrscotland.gov.uk/statistics-and-data/geography-products/geography-policies-and-information-notes/ or contact NRS Geography Customer Services.

 

Metadata

File identifier
b8130dd7-014d-40ae-ac82-878f48f86938 XML
Metadata Language
English
Resource type
Dataset
Metadata Date
2025-03-05T11:25:27.346Z
Metadata standard name
UK GEMINI
Metadata standard version

2.3

Point of contact

Individual name

Geography

Organisation name

National Records of Scotland

Position name

Geography Branch

Delivery point

General Register House, 2 Princes Street

City

Edinburgh

Administrative area

Scotland

Postal code

EH1 3YY

Country

United Kingdom

Electronic mail address

geographycustomerservices@nrscotland.gov geographycustomerservices@nrscotland.gov.uk

Role
Point of contact
Point of contact
  National Records of Scotland - Geography ( Geography Branch )
General Register House, 2 Princes Street , Edinburgh , Scotland , EH1 3YY , United Kingdom
 
 
 

Overviews

N
S
E
W


Keywords

GEMET - Concepts, version 2.4
statistical data
GEMET - INSPIRE themes, version 1.0
Statistical units
IPSV Subjects List
Boundaries Postcodes

Publishing Body

Access the portal
Full access to the portal and metadata.

Associated resources (if any)

Not available


  •  
  •  
  •