SW1Y 5JN Westminster
Live postcode, introduced January 1980. Ward: St James's. Region: London.
Streets
- Pall Mall, City of Westminster: 6 addresses
- St James's Square, City of Westminster: 1 address
House prices and rents in Westminster
A typical home in Westminster cost £887,206 in August 2026, 14.3% less than a year before. That is 25% less than five years earlier and 15% less than ten years earlier.
| Home | Typical price, Aug 2026 |
|---|---|
| Detached | £3,935,497 |
| Semi-detached | £2,810,593 |
| Terraced | £1,641,592 |
| Flat or maisonette | £784,694 |
| Bought by a first-time buyer | £791,770 |
Private renters in Westminster paid £3,209 a month on average in September 2026, 0.4% less than a year before. That is 36% more than five years earlier.
| Home | Average rent a month, Sep 2026 |
|---|---|
| One bedroom | £2,557 |
| Two bedrooms | £3,320 |
| Three bedrooms | £3,912 |
| Four or more bedrooms | £5,447 |
Council tax
What each band costs in Westminster in 2026-27: Band D £1,050 a year on average, including the police, fire and any county and parish charges.
| A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| £700 | £816 | £933 | £1,050 | £1,283 | £1,516 | £1,749 | £2,099 |
Homes by band in the neighbourhood around this postcode: most are in band H (38% of about 1,490 homes).
Planning and heritage
- Conservation area: yes, St James's (council page). Extensions, demolition, some windows and doors, and work on trees need consent.
- Listed buildings within 100 m of this postcode: 15.
- Article 4 direction (removing permitted development rights): Article 4 Basement Development Permitted Rights Removed, Article 4 Direction Class E To C3 In Central Activities Zone.
- Tree preservation orders: none recorded, though not every council has published theirs.
- Green belt: no.
Listed buildings
- 20 AND 21, ST JAMES'S SQUARE SW1, grade I
- STATUE OF WILLIAM III (IN CENTRE OF SQUARE), grade I
- OXFORD AND CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY CLUB, grade II*
- SCHOMBERG HOUSE, grade II*
- THE ROYAL AUTOMOBILE CLUB, grade II*
- 18, ST JAMES'S SQUARE SW1, grade II
- 1A, 1B, 1C, KING STREET, ST JAMES'S SW1, grade II
- 2 AND 3, DUKE STREET ST JAMES'S SW1, grade II
- 27-28 Pall Mall including 24-25 St James's Square, grade II
- 54, PALL MALL SW1, grade II
- 77 AND 78, PALL MALL SW1, grade II
- 79, PALL MALL SW1, grade II
- 83-85, PALL MALL SW1, grade II
- EAST INDIA SPORTS CLUB, grade II
- SUMMERHOUSE TO CENTRE OF SOUTH SIDE OF SQUARE GARDEN, grade II
Brownfield land registered for housing within 1 km (0.6 miles)
- 70-73 Piccadilly London W1J 8HP, permissioned (410 m (0.3 miles))
- 70-73 Piccadilly London W1J 8HP, permissioned (410 m (0.3 miles))
- Hobhouse Court London, permissioned (470 m (0.3 miles))
- 1-23 Shaftesbury Avenue London W1D 7EA, permissioned (480 m (0.3 miles))
- 1-23 Shaftesbury Avenue London W1D 7EA, permissioned (480 m (0.3 miles))
- Admiralty Arch The Mall London SW1A 2DY, permissioned (510 m (0.3 miles))
- 49 Charing Cross London SW1A 2DX, permissioned (580 m (0.4 miles))
- 49 Charing Cross London SW1A 2DX, permissioned (580 m (0.4 miles))
Energy projects nearby
1 energy project near the postcode, 1 of it not yet operating.
| Project | Kind | Size | Stage | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pegasus House, Sackville Street - Roof Mounted Solar Panels Westminster 21/07248/FULL | Solar farm | 2.3 MW | Permission granted, not yet built Dec 2021 | 360 m |
Planned projects can change or not go ahead; search the planning authority's applications by the reference shown for the plans, conditions and any objections. Construction brings traffic for some months; once built, solar farms and batteries are usually quiet, while turbines and waste plants can be seen or heard further away.
Flood risk
Rivers, the sea or surface water: in this postcode, 1 address is in areas at high risk, 0 at medium risk and 0 at low risk. Each address counts once, at the higher of its rivers-and-sea and surface-water risk.
Rivers and the sea alone: no home is in an area at risk.
High: 3.3% (1 in 30) or more chance of flooding a year. Medium: 1% to 3.3%. Low: 0.1% to 1%. Very low: under 0.1%. The rivers and sea figures allow for flood defences. Counts cover whole postcodes, which can include other streets.
Flood zone for planning: no postcode centre is in flood zone 2 or 3.
Recorded floods
No recorded flood covers the centre of this postcode.
Recorded floods are where floodwater was seen or surveyed after a flood. Many floods were never mapped, an outline over a postcode's centre does not mean every home in it flooded, and homes outside one may have. Ask the seller whether the home itself has flooded.
Coastal erosion
No projected coastal erosion zone is within 1 km (0.6 miles) of the postcode.
Storm overflows
3 storm overflows within 1 km (0.6 miles) of the postcode spilled 1 time, for 2 hours in all, in 2025. They discharge into R.thames ( Tidal ), River Thames (Esturine).
| Overflow | Into | Spills | Hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Regent Street Cso Thames Water | R.thames ( Tidal ) | 0 | 0 | 940 m (0.6 miles) |
| Combined Sewer Overflow at Victoria Thames Water | River Thames (Esturine) | 0 | 0 | 940 m (0.6 miles) |
| Northumberland Street Cso Thames Water | R.thames ( Tidal ) | 1 | 2 | 1 km (0.6 miles) |
A storm overflow lets sewage diluted with rainwater into a river, stream or the sea when heavy rain overwhelms the sewers, so the spills here affect the water they run into, not homes. A spill is counted the regulators' way: a first 12 hours, then each 24 hours it goes on.
Coal mining
No postcode centre here is in a coalfield: the Mining Remediation Authority records no coal mining risk here.
Radon
The postcode is in a 1 km square in the lowest band of radon potential: fewer than 1 home in 100 is estimated to be at or above the Action Level. It is not a radon Affected Area.
Gas and electricity use
The postcode does not have the 5 or more domestic meters needed for figures to be published.
Historic landfill
No historic landfill site is within 500 m (0.3 miles) of the postcode.
Height above sea level
The postcode's addresses are about 10 m above sea level.
Broadband
Superfast 100%, ultrafast 100%, gigabit 100% of premises; 0% cannot get 10 Mbit/s. Ofcom Connected Nations, data as at January 2026.
Getting around
| Nearest | Distance | |
|---|---|---|
| Railway stations | London Charing Cross 20 million journeys in 2024–25 | 800 m (0.5 miles) |
| Tottenham Court Road 68 million journeys in 2024–25 | 1.1 km (0.7 miles) | |
| Bond Street 43 million journeys in 2024–25 | 1.1 km (0.7 miles) | |
| Underground, metro or tram | Piccadilly Circus Underground Station | 440 m (0.3 miles) |
| Green Park Underground Station | 480 m (0.3 miles) | |
| Charing Cross Underground Station | 620 m (0.4 miles) | |
| Bus stops | 10 stops within 400 m (0.2 miles), 64 within 800 m (0.5 miles); nearest Pall Mall / St James's Palace | 40 m |
| Bus or coach station | Victoria Station | 1.3 km (0.8 miles) |
| Ferry terminal | Westminster Pier | 1 km (0.6 miles) |
| Car parks | 17 within 800 m (0.5 miles); nearest National Car Parks | 310 m |
| EV charging points | 67 within 1.6 km (1 mile); nearest bp pulse Charging Station | 170 m |
| Airport with scheduled flights | London City Airport LCY | 13.3 km (8.3 miles) |
| Nearest large airport | London Heathrow Airport LHR | 22.8 km (14 miles) |
Local services
| Nearest | Distance | |
|---|---|---|
| GP surgeries | 12 practices within 1.6 km (1 mile); nearest Soho Centre For Health And Care Good Apr 2026 | 1 km (0.6 miles) |
| Pharmacies | 31 pharmacies within 1.6 km (1 mile); nearest Dr Harris & Co Chemists | 270 m |
| NHS dentists | 45 practices within 1.6 km (1 mile); nearest Pallmall Dental | 190 m |
| Hospital | Schoen Hospital London Good Jun 2019 | 1.5 km (0.9 miles) |
| Care homes | 1 home within 1.6 km (1 mile); nearest Norton House Good May 2026 | 1.2 km (0.8 miles) |
| Police station | Trafalgar Square Police Box | 630 m (0.4 miles) |
| Cash machines | 2 machines within 800 m (0.5 miles); nearest Hsbc ATM | 100 m |
Nurseries and childcare
The ten nearest nurseries, pre-schools and clubs are all within 1.3 km (0.8 miles); the nearest is 670 m (0.4 miles) from the postcode's centre.
| Provider | Kind | Places | Latest inspection | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Soho Family Centre Nursery W1F 0RN | Full day care | 40 | Good (Oct 2023, overall grade under the previous framework) | 670 m (0.4 miles) |
| Foreign And Commonwealth Office Nursery SW1A 2AH | Full day care | 46 | Outstanding (Sep 2023, overall grade under the previous framework) | 700 m (0.4 miles) |
| RAFAKidz London SW1A 2HB | Full day care | 39 | Not inspected yet | 740 m (0.5 miles) |
| House of Commons Nursery SW1A 2NE | Full day care | 40 | Outstanding (Feb 2022, overall grade under the previous framework) | 900 m (0.6 miles) |
| FunTech at Westminster SW1E 5HJ | Sessional day care (over fives) | Not inspected yet | 1 km (0.6 miles) | |
| 11 Plus London SW1E 5HJ | Out-of-school day care (over fives) | Not inspected yet | 1 km (0.6 miles) | |
| Junior Adventures Group @ St George's W1K W1K 2XH | Out-of-school day care | 30 | Not inspected yet | 1 km (0.6 miles) |
| Junior Adventures Group @ St Matthews SW1P SW1P 2DG | Out-of-school day care | 32 | Not inspected yet | 1 km (0.6 miles) |
| St Vincent De Paul School Extended Club Premier F4F Group SW1P 1EP | Out-of-school day care | 32 | Not inspected yet | 1.2 km (0.7 miles) |
| Turtles Nursery Limited WC2H 9RF | Full day care | 31 | Good (Aug 2025, overall grade under the previous framework) | 1.3 km (0.8 miles) |
Ofsted also registers 44 childminders and 23 home childcarers (nannies) in Westminster. It does not publish their addresses, so they cannot be shown here; the council's family information service lists those taking children.
Parks and green space
| Nearest | Distance | |
|---|---|---|
| Park or garden | 9 within 800 m (0.5 miles); nearest Unnamed 9,040 m² | 70 m |
| Largest park within 800 m (0.5 miles) | St James's Park 23 ha | 350 m |
| Play area | 1 within 800 m (0.5 miles); nearest Unnamed 1,070 m² | 620 m (0.4 miles) |
| Playing field | Westminster School Playing Field 3.7 ha | 1.4 km (0.9 miles) |
| Allotments | Unnamed 1,020 m² | 2.3 km (1.4 miles) |
Within 800 m (0.5 miles): 9 parks and gardens, 46 hectares in all.
Landmarks
The nearest historic landmark is 20 and 21, St James's Square Sw1, a listed building (Grade I), 10 m. 1,235 listed buildings are within 1 km (0.6 miles), 107 of them Grade I and 156 of them Grade II*.
| Name | What it is | From the postcode's centre |
|---|---|---|
| 20 and 21, St James's Square Sw1 | Listed building, Grade I | 10 m |
| Schomberg House | Listed building, Grade II* | 60 m south |
| The Royal Automobile Club | Listed building, Grade II* | 90 m east |
| Oxford and Cambridge University Club | Listed building, Grade II* | 90 m south |
| St James's Square | Registered park or garden, Grade II | 110 m north-east |
| St James's Park | Registered park or garden, Grade I | 400 m (0.2 miles) south |
| The Chapter House and Pyx Chamber in the abbey cloisters, Westminster Abbey | Scheduled monument | 1 km (0.6 miles) south-east |
| Palace of Westminster, Westminster Abbey and St. Margaret's Church | World Heritage Site | 1 km (0.6 miles) south-east |
| The Jewel Tower | Scheduled monument | 1.1 km (0.7 miles) south-east |
| Inner Temple Hall Buttery | Scheduled monument | 1.9 km (1.2 miles) north-east |
| Name | What it is | From the postcode's centre |
|---|---|---|
| St James's Park Lake | Lake or reservoir | 460 m (0.3 miles) south |
| Duck Island | Island | 500 m (0.3 miles) south-east |
| Pelican Pool | Lake or reservoir | 520 m (0.3 miles) south-east |
| King's Reach | Tidal water | 1 km (0.7 miles) east |
| Paddington Green | Wood | 3.1 km (1.9 miles) north-west |
| Barrow Hill | Hill | 3.9 km (2.4 miles) north-west |
Air quality
| Pollutant | Here | UK limit | WHO guideline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nitrogen dioxide (NO2) | 32.1 | 40 | 10 |
| Fine particles (PM2.5) | 10.6 | 20 | 5 |
| Particles (PM10) | 17.4 | 40 | 15 |
All three are within the UK legal limits; all three are above the WHO guideline, as in most towns and cities.
Road, rail and aircraft noise
| Level | Road traffic | Railways | Aircraft |
|---|---|---|---|
| 65 to 69 | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| 55 to 59 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Under 55 | 0 | 7 | 7 |
7 of the postcode's 7 addresses are modelled at 55 dB or more from road traffic, above the WHO guidelines.
Road safety
48 collisions in which someone was hurt were reported around the postcode in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 8 serious and 39 slight, in which 1 person died and 8 people were seriously hurt. 15 involved a pedestrian; 15 involved a cyclist; 9 involved a motorcyclist; 1 involved a child under 16. 35% happened in the dark, and 21% on a wet or icy road. Most were on roads with a 20 mph limit.
| Year | Collisions | Fatal or serious |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 8 | 2 |
| 2022 | 11 | 0 |
| 2023 | 9 | 4 |
| 2024 | 8 | 2 |
| 2025 | 12 | 1 |
| Date | Severity | Who was hurt | Road | Conditions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 22 Dec 2025 09:20 | Slight | 1 person: 1 cyclist | A4, 20 mph | Wet road |
| 17 Dec 2025 20:39 | Slight | 1 person: 1 pedestrian | A4, 20 mph | Dark, street lights on |
| 25 Nov 2025 10:27 | Fatal | 1 person: 1 pedestrian | A4, 20 mph | Daylight |
| 3 Nov 2025 15:40 | Slight | 1 person: 1 pedestrian | A4, 20 mph | Wet road |
| 25 Jul 2025 03:19 | Slight | 1 person: 1 cyclist | A4, 20 mph | Dark, street lights on |
| 16 Jul 2025 17:46 | Slight | 1 person: 1 cyclist | A4, 20 mph | Daylight |
| 1 Jul 2025 09:00 | Slight | 1 person | A4, 20 mph | Daylight |
| 6 Jun 2025 04:40 | Slight | 1 person | A4, 20 mph | Daylight |
| 18 Apr 2025 15:35 | Slight | 2 people: 2 pedestrians, 1 child | A4, 20 mph | Daylight |
| 11 Mar 2025 09:30 | Slight | 1 person: 1 cyclist | Minor road, 20 mph | Daylight |
Only collisions in which someone was hurt and which the police were told about are here: damage-only collisions and near misses are not, and some injuries are never reported. Positions are recorded by the police, usually to within a few metres. Each year's figures are published the following September.
Traffic on nearby roads
The busiest counted road within 500 m (0.3 miles) is the A4 between Waterloo Pl and Cockspur St, with 18,177 motor vehicles a day on average in 2025, 320 m from the postcode.
| Road | Between | Vehicles a day | Lorries | Ten years before | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A4 | Piccadilly to Waterloo Pl | 15,704 estimated; counted 2019 | 3% | -14% since 2015 | 40 m |
| A4 | Pall Mall to Piccadilly Circus | 12,058 estimated; counted 2023 | 5% | -15% since 2015 | 290 m |
| A4 | St James St to Regent Street/ Picc Circus | 13,922 estimated; counted 2019 | 2% | +11% since 2015 | 290 m |
| A4 | Waterloo Pl to Cockspur St | 18,177 estimated | 3% | 320 m | |
| A4 | Piccadilly Circus to Pall Mall East | 11,831 estimated; counted 2021 | 5% | -32% since 2015 | 400 m (0.2 miles) |
| A4 | Haymarket to Trafalgar Square | 8,534 estimated; counted 2022 | 7% | 490 m (0.3 miles) |
Each figure is the annual average daily flow: the motor vehicles passing the count point, both ways, on an average day of the year. A point is counted by hand on a weekday every few years and estimated from the trend on similar roads in between. Lorries are heavy goods vehicles, as a share of all motor vehicles.
Climate, daylight and earthquakes
Monthly temperatures and rainfall, sunrise and sunset through the year, and earthquakes recorded nearby since 1970 are much the same across the area, so they are worked out once for Westminster: see them on the Westminster page.
People and work
Who lives here
| Around this postcode | England | |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 38 | 40 |
| Children under 15 | 5% | 17% |
| Aged 65 and over | 15% | 18% |
Homes
| Around this postcode | England | |
|---|---|---|
| Owned (outright or with a mortgage) | 22% | 61% |
| Owned outright | 19% | 33% |
| Shared ownership | 0% | 1% |
| Social rented | 2% | 17% |
| Private rented | 76% | 21% |
Work and commuting
| Around this postcode | England | |
|---|---|---|
| Adults (16 and over) in work | 70% | 57% |
| Unemployment (of those working or looking for work) | 3% | 6% |
| Retired (of adults) | 13% | 22% |
| Long-term sick or disabled (of adults) | 0% | 4% |
| Work mainly from home (of those in work) | 60% | 32% |
| Travel to work by car or van | 8% | 48% |
| By train, Underground, metro or tram | 8% | 4% |
| By any public transport, including bus | 10% | 8% |
| On foot or by bicycle | 17% | 10% |
| Work within 10 km (6 miles) of home (of those who travel to work) | 88% | 65% |
| Work 30 km (19 miles) or more away | 8% | 8% |
Education and languages
| Around this postcode | England | |
|---|---|---|
| Degree or other higher qualification, Level 4+ (of adults) | 73% | 34% |
| No qualifications | 8% | 18% |
| Apprenticeship as highest qualification | 1% | 5% |
| Main language English (aged 3 and over) | 70% | 91% |
| Cannot speak English well or at all | 2% | 2% |
Deprivation
The neighbourhood around this postcode is in decile 8 of 10 on the English Indices of Deprivation 2025, where 1 is the most deprived tenth of England's 33,755 neighbourhoods and 10 the least.
The full dossier for this postcode's main street is on Pall Mall.