MY family recently moved from Redditch to Barnt Green, in Worcestershire - from a B98 postcode to B45.

We discovered that as a consequence of this relatively short distance move we have incurred a new tax: "postcode tax."

The Royal Mail allocates postcodes for operational reasons of postal delivery, being also aware that a house postcode is used by a number of organisations to provide an area profile.

My family discovered that our new B45 postcode includes south Birmingham, which has twice the national average for violent crime and burglaries.

Bromsgrove by comparison has a violent crime and burglary rate well below the national average.

Our recent move has resulted in all of our insurance companies increasing our premiums - in effect imposing a new postcode tax, which is based on our new Birmingham B45 postcode.

The Royal Mail and most commercial organisations do not recognise Barnt Green as Worcestershire, but as being in Birmingham.

In view of the increasing use of postcodes to determine risks and commercial services as well as its use by potential home buyers to profile prospective areas, Barnt Green householders may be surprised to learn that it is not quite what it seems when postcode crime rates are presented to potential buyers.

The Royal Mail refuses to consider a change, nor will insurance companies.

Name and address supplied.