Understanding the UK Postal District: Placement in an Address

In a UK postal address, the postal district (often called the outward code or first part of the postcode) appears on the line after the town/city name, immediately before the full postcode—though in modern formatting, it's simply the first part of the full postcode written on the same line as the town.

Standard UK Address Format

Recipient Name
Building Name/Number & Street
Locality (if needed)
POST TOWN
POSTCODE (e.g., SW1A 1AA)

Breaking Down the Postcode

SW1A 1AA → SW1A = Postal District (Outward Code)
1AA = Postal Sector (Inward Code)

Examples

• London: Districts: SW, EC, WC, N, NW, SE, E, W (e.g., SW1A = Westminster).
• Manchester: M (e.g., M1, M20).
• Birmingham: B (e.g., B1, B30).
• Edinburgh: EH (e.g., EH1, EH10).

Key Points

• The district (1–2 letters + 1–2 digits) identifies the postal area and district (sorting office).
• It is not a separate line item in modern addressing; it's the first half of the postcode.
• Royal Mail requires the full postcode (outward + inward) in CAPITALS on the last line.

So, "Where is it located?" → It's the first half of the postcode, on the bottom line of the address.