Guides · 2026-10-17

StreetCheck now redirects to Crystal Roof: how to check an area in England for free

StreetCheck.co.uk now redirects to Crystal Roof, which blurs some data unless you buy a plan. Here is how to check crime, schools, transport, broadband and flood risk for any English postcode free, from the official sources.

Illustration of a magnifying glass over a street map with a location pin, beside tiles for different area checks.

For years StreetCheck was a popular free way to look up a postcode before moving. The site now redirects to Crystal Roof, which shows some data free and the rest with a paid plan. If you used StreetCheck to size up an area, here is how to check the main official figures yourself for free, and where each one comes from.

The official sources behind area checks

  • Crime: police.uk publishes street-level crime and anti-social behaviour every month, mapped to small neighbourhoods. Divide by population to compare places fairly: a busy town centre always has more reports than a quiet suburb.
  • Schools: the Department for Education's Get Information about Schools lists every open school, and Ofsted publishes inspection reports.
  • House prices: HM Land Registry's House Price Index gives average prices and the 12-month change for every council area.
  • Broadband: Ofcom's Connected Nations data shows what speeds are available, postcode by postcode.
  • Flood risk: the Environment Agency's long-term flood risk service covers rivers and the sea, surface water and reservoirs for every address in England.
  • Deprivation: the English Indices of Deprivation 2025 rank every small neighbourhood on income, employment, health and more.

Doing it in one place

Checking half a dozen government websites for each place on your shortlist takes an evening. PlaceFit pulls the same official figures together for any postcode in England, and every town and village we cover, shows the source and date beside every number, and lets you compare places side by side. Exploring is free; guests get three comparisons a day.

Look up a postcode or place · See an example: Southwell · How PlaceFit measures places

Checked 10 October 2026: streetcheck.co.uk redirects to crystalroof.co.uk. PlaceFit is not affiliated with, endorsed by or connected to StreetCheck or Crystal Roof; their names are used only to describe their services.