The NVC divides communities broadly acccording to habitat, using a letter shorthand to indicate the general habitat type:

• A = water,
• CG = calcareous grassland,
• H = heath,
• M = mire,
• MC = maritime cliff,
• MG = mesotrophic grassland (moderately fertile soil),
• OV = open vegetation,
• S = swamp,
• SD = sand dune,
• SM = salt marsh,
• U = upland, and
• W = wood.

There are 286 communities that are listed here. Sub-communities have not been included. JNCC 2017.