The Unique Property Reference Number (UPRN) is the jewel at the heart of the addressing system. It links address data across a diverse range of systems and services facilitating greater accuracy and immediate data sharing.
Resource
The Unique Property Reference Number (UPRN) is the unique identifier for every addressable location across the UK.
An addressable location may be any kind of building, or it may be an object that might not have a ‘normal' address – such as a bus shelter or an electricity substation for example. UPRNs provide every property (or object) with a consistent identifier throughout its lifecycle, from planning through to demolition.
Who allocates Unique Property Reference Number (UPRN)?
UPRNs are allocated by local authorities and by Ordnance Survey (OS) from a range provided by GeoPlace. Local authorities have statutory permission to name and number every street and property in Great Britain and also allocate UPRNs to other objects. OS identifies features in the landscape that might not have a ‘normal' address and includes them in its AddressBase products.
A central source for addresses and streets
GeoPlace is the central source for UK addresses and streets. We work contractually with all 339 councils in England and Wales which have statutory responsibility for approving and creating addresses and 174 local highways authorities.
We manage a central hub of 42.8 million addresses and 1.3 million streets, taking feeds of address and street data from local authorities in England and Wales, central government, Ordnance Survey, Royal Mail and data from Scotland, Northern Ireland, Isle of Man and the Channel Islands via the Improvement Service, Land & Property Services, Isle of Man Government and Digimap respectively.
Data from Northern Ireland is via Pointer, the address database for Northern Ireland. Land & Property Services (LPS) maintains the database with help from local councils and Royal Mail.
Find out more, and see the infographic that shows the processes that take place at GeoPlace here.
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