Upcoming Postcode Profiler data update: Postcode Profiler refresh

We are pleased to announce that we plan to release the updated version of the Postcode Profiler to the HEAT database in April. As well as updating the source data, we have made additional changes to enhance usability, which are listed below:

• The Output Area Classification (OAC) will be updated to the most recent version of the measure, which is the OAC 2021
• The HESA SEISA measure will be updated to the most recent version of the measure, which is based on the Census 2021
• Each postcode is populated with information from the Office for Students (OfS) postcode file. Where it does not exist within this file, mapping to the OfS aggregated datasets, either at LSOA or MSOA level, is applied
• All Postcode Profiler language has been updated to reflect current Uni Connect terminology and where requested, Uni Connect Partnership names have been updated
• Following guidance from the OfS, postcodes which are flagged as Uni Connect in the OfS postcode lookup file, but which could not be mapped using their OfS or ONSPD casward codes, have been mapped to a Uni Connect Consortia using a best fit matching exercise, based on their LSOA11 Code
• The report meets accessibility standards

The Output Area Classification 2021 Update

With this refresh of the underlying postcode profiler dataset, the updated OAC dataset will be incorporated into the Postcode Profiler dataset and report.

Following the update to the underlying dataset, this will also update all other locations on the database where the Postcode Profiler data feeds through to, such as the following:

• ‘Super Group’ on the Student record Geography Tab
• ‘Group’ on the Student record Geography Tab
• ‘Sub Group’ on the Student record Geography Tab
• ‘Super Group’ on the Ambassador record Geography Tab
• ‘Group’ on the Ambassador record Geography Tab
• ‘Sub Group’ on the Ambassador record Geography Tab

For further information concerning the OAC data fields, please see the Office for National Statistics 2021 residential-based area classifications, or the Consumer Data Research Centre webpage providing further detail, and outlining the research behind the data: Output Area Classification (2021).

Indices of Deprivation Releases

We are not currently aware of any updates to the current versions of the Indices of Deprivation measures across the four devolved nations which will be released in time to impact our upcoming Postcode Profiler Refresh.

However, there are planned updates to the English and Welsh Indices of Deprivation that are scheduled for release in late 2025, and so these may impact the next update of the Postcode Profiler data. We will keep you posted as to any development in this area, once further information is made available.

Further information pertaining to these proposed updates can be found at the following webpages:

English Indices of Deprivation: Oxford Consultants for Social Inclusion (OCSI) Webpage on the English IMD Update

Welsh Indices of Deprivation: Proposed indicators for the Welsh Index of Multiple Deprivation (WIMD): 2025

The planned update to the Scottish Indices of Deprivation is currently expected in late 2026, as per the following webpage: Our plans to update the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation.

Future updates

As a part of the upcoming Summer 2025 Update, we will be archiving the POLAR 3 related fields across the database, further details for which can be found in the following Data Update: Upcoming Development: Archival of the POLAR3 related fields across the database.

Additionally, the upcoming Summer Technical Update will also see the archival of the version of the Postcode Profiler Report labelled ‘Archived’ so that it will no longer be an option to use when generating a Postcode Profiler Report. As noted in the previous Summer Update 2024 wherein the new report template was release, the old ‘Archived’ version of the template was planned to remain available to use up to a year following the 2024 update to support with transition to the new Postcode Profiler Report format.