UKSGB Mission Statement

There are a vast number of different geographic areas in the UK that are referenced and analysed. These areas often do not align with each other; they have different codes and names; they keep moving as their boundaries are changed, either by statute or other reasons. This makes analysing and comparing data from different sources or different time periods very difficult. There are also many organisations using and maintaining their own referencing systems which creates further difficulties in integrating data form different sources.

The aim of the UK Standard Geographic Base is to encourage users of UK geographically referenced data to standardise their use of geography around a base of core of commonly used geographic units. The UKSGB will provide a single, easy to use and definite source of data about these core units and the key datasets that support these units. By using the UKSGB as the source of the geographic references in their data, suppliers and users will improve access to, and the quality and consistency of, the many data sources of geographic information. By standardising around the UKSGB, users can "join up" the many disparate geographies that exist in the UK, and realise the potential of sharing data from the many sources within government and beyond.

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