Editing Postcode Address File (section)

{{Short description|Database of addresses in the United Kingdom}}
{{EngvarB|date=September 2017}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2017}}
{{distinguish|ZIP (file format)}}
The '''Postcode Address File''' ('''PAF''') is a database that contains all known "delivery points" and [[postcodes in the United Kingdom]]. The PAF is a collection of over 29 million Royal Mail postal addresses and 1.8&nbsp;million [[postcode]]s.<ref>{{cite web|title=PAF Stats|url=http://www.poweredbypaf.com/category/paf-stats/|website=Powered By Paf|publisher=Royal Mail Group Ltd|access-date=9 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160309140048/http://www.poweredbypaf.com/category/paf-stats/|archive-date=9 March 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref> It is available in a variety of formats including [[File Transfer Protocol|FTP]] download and compact disc, and was previously available as [[digital audio tape]]. As owner of the PAF, Royal Mail is required by section 116 of the [[Postal Services Act 2000]] to maintain the data and make it available on reasonable terms. A charge is made for lookup services or wholesale supply of PAF data. Charges are regulated by [[Ofcom]]. It includes small user residential, small user organisation and large user organisation details. There have been requests as part of the [[Open Data in the United Kingdom|Open Data]] campaign for the PAF to be released by the government free of charge.<ref>{{cite news|first=Charles |last=Arthur |url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2010/jan/22/postcode-petition-fails-blocked-number-ten |title=Developers dismayed as No.10 blocks free postcode file |work=[[The Guardian]] |date=22 January 2010 |access-date=10 June 2013}}</ref>