FOI REF: FOI/2023/5069
You asked
I would like to make a request under the Freedom of Information Act 2000. Please provide population data for each postcode.
I would like the population data to be as recent as possible and from the 2021 Census preferably. If this is not possible, please let me know what other data is available.
We said
Thank you for your request.
We produce two types of Census data relevant to your request.
Headcount only data by (full) unit postcode which is a simple count of the number of persons living in an area.
Population data for postal geographies which contains the head count along with other variables such as usual residents, sex etc.
Census 2021 headcounts by (full) unit postcode are expected to be released as part of Phase 3 (summer 2023). Please see our Release calendar - Office for National Statistics (ons.gov.uk) for further details.
Census 2021 detailed population data for postal geographies is not yet available. When available, Census data will be released down to Postcode Sector level but will not be available for (full) unit postcodes.
Postcodes are structured hierarchically, supporting four levels of geographic unit. For example:
POPostcode Area of which there are 124;
PO15Postcode District of which there are 3,118;
PO15 5 Postcode Sector of which there are 12,446
PO15 5RRUnit Postcode of which there are currently approximately 1.77 million
The most up to date population data for unit postcodes is available from the 2011 Census:
https://www.nomisweb.co.uk/census/2011/postcode_headcounts_and_household_estimates
This release contains 2011 Census estimates of usual residents broken down by sex and an estimate of the number of households with one or more usual residents - for unit postcodes in England and Wales.
The postcode headcount datasets are supplied in CSV format. The two datasets have been split into four files each to make manipulation of the data easier.
The information you have requested from the Census 2021 is exempt under Section 22(1) of the Freedom of Information Act 2000, whereby information is exempt from release if there is a view to publish the information in the future.
As a central government department and producer of official statistics, we need to have the freedom to be able to determine our own publication timetables. This is to allow us to deal with the necessary preparation, administration, and context of publications. It would be unreasonable to consider disclosure when to do so would undermine our functions.
This exemption is subject to a public interest test. We recognise the desirability of information being freely available and this is considered by ONS when publication schedules are set in accordance with the Code of Practice for Statistics. The need for timely data must be balanced against the practicalities of applying statistical skill and judgement to produce the high quality, assured data needed to inform decision-making. If this balance is incorrectly applied, then we run the risk of decisions being based on inaccurate data which is arguably not in the public interest. This will have an impact on public trust in official statistics in a time when accuracy of official statistics is more important to the public than ever before.