How Many Postcodes Are in Greater London?

By Michael Ferguson

If you’re wondering how many postcodes are in Greater London, you’ve come to the right place. As of 2021, there are approximately 120 postcode areas in Greater London, each with its unique combination of letters and numbers. Let’s explore this topic in more detail.

What is a postcode?

Before we dive into the number of postcodes in Greater London, let’s first understand what a postcode is. A postcode is a combination of letters and numbers that helps identify a specific geographic location. It was first introduced in the UK in 1959 by the Royal Mail to improve efficiency in mail delivery.

A typical UK postcode consists of two parts separated by a space – the outward code and the inward code. The outward code denotes the area or town, while the inward code represents a smaller unit within that area, such as a street or group of houses.

How many postcodes are in Greater London?

As mentioned earlier, there are approximately 120 postcode areas in Greater London. These include popular areas like SE (South East), SW (South West), E (East), N (North), NW (North West), W (West), EC (East Central), WC (West Central) and more.

Each of these postcode areas is further divided into smaller districts, denoted by additional letters and numbers after the initial area letter(s). For example, SE1 represents Bankside, Bermondsey, Southwark, and Vauxhall within the South East area.

The most populated postcode areas

The most populated postcode areas in Greater London are E1 (Whitechapel and Stepney), N1 (Islington and Hoxton), NW1 (Camden Town and Regent’s Park), SW1 (Westminster and Belgravia) and W1 (Mayfair and Soho).

The least populated postcode areas

On the other hand, the least populated postcode areas in Greater London are IG (Ilford), RM (Romford), TW (Twickenham), and UB (Southall).

Conclusion

In summary, there are approximately 120 postcode areas in Greater London, each with its unique combination of letters and numbers. These postcodes help identify specific geographic locations and improve efficiency in mail delivery. Knowing the number of postcodes in Greater London can be useful for businesses or individuals who need to send or receive mail within the city.