diff --git a/src/client/stylesheets/shared.scss b/src/client/stylesheets/shared.scss
index cb7277959..5501a8f63 100644
--- a/src/client/stylesheets/shared.scss
+++ b/src/client/stylesheets/shared.scss
@@ -31,3 +31,7 @@
     content: none;
   }
 }
+
+.govuk-form-group .govuk-form-group {
+  margin-bottom: 0;
+}
diff --git a/src/server/plugins/engine/components/LocationFieldBase.ts b/src/server/plugins/engine/components/LocationFieldBase.ts
index 824d0f0bf..928599a48 100644
--- a/src/server/plugins/engine/components/LocationFieldBase.ts
+++ b/src/server/plugins/engine/components/LocationFieldBase.ts
@@ -6,7 +6,6 @@ import {
   isFormValue
 } from '~/src/server/plugins/engine/components/FormComponent.js'
 import { addClassOptionIfNone } from '~/src/server/plugins/engine/components/helpers/index.js'
-import { markdown } from '~/src/server/plugins/engine/components/markdownParser.js'
 import { messageTemplate } from '~/src/server/plugins/engine/pageControllers/validationOptions.js'
 import {
   type ErrorMessageTemplateList,
@@ -28,6 +27,7 @@ interface LocationFieldOptions {
 interface ValidationConfig {
   pattern: RegExp
   patternErrorMessage: string
+  requiredMessage?: string
 }
 
 /**
@@ -58,6 +58,14 @@ export abstract class LocationFieldBase extends FormComponent {
     addClassOptionIfNone(locationOptions, 'govuk-input--width-10')
 
     const config = this.getValidationConfig()
+    const requiredMessage =
+      config.requiredMessage ?? (messageTemplate.required as string)
+
+    const messages: LanguageMessages = {
+      'any.required': requiredMessage,
+      'string.empty': requiredMessage,
+      'string.pattern.base': config.patternErrorMessage
+    }
 
     let formSchema = joi
       .string()
@@ -65,9 +73,7 @@ export abstract class LocationFieldBase extends FormComponent {
       .label(this.label)
       .required()
       .pattern(config.pattern)
-      .messages({
-        'string.pattern.base': config.patternErrorMessage
-      })
+      .messages(messages)
 
     if (locationOptions.required === false) {
       formSchema = formSchema.allow('')
@@ -115,7 +121,7 @@ export abstract class LocationFieldBase extends FormComponent {
     if (this.instructionText) {
       return {
         ...viewModel,
-        instructionText: markdown.parse(this.instructionText, { async: false })
+        instructionText: this.instructionText
       }
     }
 
@@ -123,9 +129,15 @@ export abstract class LocationFieldBase extends FormComponent {
   }
 
   getAllPossibleErrors(): ErrorMessageTemplateList {
+    const config = this.getValidationConfig()
+
     return {
       baseErrors: [
-        { type: 'required', template: messageTemplate.required },
+        {
+          type: 'required',
+          template:
+            config.requiredMessage ?? (messageTemplate.required as string)
+        },
         ...this.getErrorTemplates()
       ],
       advancedSettingsErrors: []
diff --git a/src/server/plugins/engine/components/LocationFieldHelpers.ts b/src/server/plugins/engine/components/LocationFieldHelpers.ts
index 306bc99a8..50a891d03 100644
--- a/src/server/plugins/engine/components/LocationFieldHelpers.ts
+++ b/src/server/plugins/engine/components/LocationFieldHelpers.ts
@@ -3,7 +3,6 @@ import { type Context, type CustomValidator } from 'joi'
 import { type EastingNorthingField } from '~/src/server/plugins/engine/components/EastingNorthingField.js'
 import { isFormValue } from '~/src/server/plugins/engine/components/FormComponent.js'
 import { type LatLongField } from '~/src/server/plugins/engine/components/LatLongField.js'
-import { markdown } from '~/src/server/plugins/engine/components/markdownParser.js'
 import {
   type DateInputItem,
   type Label,
@@ -174,9 +173,7 @@ export function getLocationFieldViewModel(
   if (component.options.instructionText) {
     return {
       ...result,
-      instructionText: markdown.parse(component.options.instructionText, {
-        async: false
-      })
+      instructionText: component.options.instructionText
     }
   }
 
diff --git a/src/server/plugins/engine/components/NationalGridFieldNumberField.test.ts b/src/server/plugins/engine/components/NationalGridFieldNumberField.test.ts
index 00a67d634..b87d4e2e9 100644
--- a/src/server/plugins/engine/components/NationalGridFieldNumberField.test.ts
+++ b/src/server/plugins/engine/components/NationalGridFieldNumberField.test.ts
@@ -129,7 +129,7 @@ describe('NationalGridFieldNumberField', () => {
 
         expect(result.errors).toEqual([
           expect.objectContaining({
-            text: 'Enter example National Grid field number'
+            text: 'Enter Example National Grid field number'
           })
         ])
       })
@@ -293,7 +293,7 @@ describe('NationalGridFieldNumberField', () => {
               value: getFormData('NG1234567'),
               errors: expect.arrayContaining([
                 expect.objectContaining({
-                  text: 'Enter a valid National Grid field number for grid field like NG 1234 5678'
+                  text: 'Enter a valid National Grid field number for Grid field like NG 1234 5678'
                 })
               ])
             }
@@ -304,7 +304,7 @@ describe('NationalGridFieldNumberField', () => {
               value: getFormData('N123456789'),
               errors: expect.arrayContaining([
                 expect.objectContaining({
-                  text: 'Enter a valid National Grid field number for grid field like NG 1234 5678'
+                  text: 'Enter a valid National Grid field number for Grid field like NG 1234 5678'
                 })
               ])
             }
@@ -315,7 +315,7 @@ describe('NationalGridFieldNumberField', () => {
               value: getFormData('NGABCDEFGH'),
               errors: expect.arrayContaining([
                 expect.objectContaining({
-                  text: 'Enter a valid National Grid field number for grid field like NG 1234 5678'
+                  text: 'Enter a valid National Grid field number for Grid field like NG 1234 5678'
                 })
               ])
             }
diff --git a/src/server/plugins/engine/components/NationalGridFieldNumberField.ts b/src/server/plugins/engine/components/NationalGridFieldNumberField.ts
index 62c160807..962336b4b 100644
--- a/src/server/plugins/engine/components/NationalGridFieldNumberField.ts
+++ b/src/server/plugins/engine/components/NationalGridFieldNumberField.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,4 @@
 import { type NationalGridFieldNumberFieldComponent } from '@defra/forms-model'
-import lowerFirst from 'lodash/lowerFirst.js'
 
 import { LocationFieldBase } from '~/src/server/plugins/engine/components/LocationFieldBase.js'
 
@@ -15,7 +14,8 @@ export class NationalGridFieldNumberField extends LocationFieldBase {
 
     return {
       pattern,
-      patternErrorMessage: `Enter a valid National Grid field number for ${lowerFirst(this.label)} like NG 1234 5678`
+      patternErrorMessage: `Enter a valid National Grid field number for {{#title}} like NG 1234 5678`,
+      requiredMessage: 'Enter {{#title}}'
     }
   }
 
diff --git a/src/server/plugins/engine/components/OsGridRefField.test.ts b/src/server/plugins/engine/components/OsGridRefField.test.ts
index 9183fb081..bad21aa81 100644
--- a/src/server/plugins/engine/components/OsGridRefField.test.ts
+++ b/src/server/plugins/engine/components/OsGridRefField.test.ts
@@ -135,7 +135,7 @@ describe('OsGridRefField', () => {
 
         expect(result.errors).toEqual([
           expect.objectContaining({
-            text: 'Enter example OS grid reference'
+            text: 'Enter Example OS grid reference'
           })
         ])
       })
@@ -308,7 +308,7 @@ describe('OsGridRefField', () => {
               value: getFormData('TQ12345'),
               errors: expect.arrayContaining([
                 expect.objectContaining({
-                  text: 'Enter a valid OS grid reference for grid reference like TQ123456'
+                  text: 'Enter a valid OS grid reference for Grid reference like TQ123456'
                 })
               ])
             }
@@ -319,7 +319,7 @@ describe('OsGridRefField', () => {
               value: getFormData('AA1234567'),
               errors: expect.arrayContaining([
                 expect.objectContaining({
-                  text: 'Enter a valid OS grid reference for grid reference like TQ123456'
+                  text: 'Enter a valid OS grid reference for Grid reference like TQ123456'
                 })
               ])
             }
@@ -330,7 +330,7 @@ describe('OsGridRefField', () => {
               value: getFormData('TQABCDEF'),
               errors: expect.arrayContaining([
                 expect.objectContaining({
-                  text: 'Enter a valid OS grid reference for grid reference like TQ123456'
+                  text: 'Enter a valid OS grid reference for Grid reference like TQ123456'
                 })
               ])
             }
diff --git a/src/server/plugins/engine/components/OsGridRefField.ts b/src/server/plugins/engine/components/OsGridRefField.ts
index 7ef85b7a2..4c0d9ec8d 100644
--- a/src/server/plugins/engine/components/OsGridRefField.ts
+++ b/src/server/plugins/engine/components/OsGridRefField.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,4 @@
 import { type OsGridRefFieldComponent } from '@defra/forms-model'
-import lowerFirst from 'lodash/lowerFirst.js'
 
 import { LocationFieldBase } from '~/src/server/plugins/engine/components/LocationFieldBase.js'
 
@@ -18,7 +17,8 @@ export class OsGridRefField extends LocationFieldBase {
 
     return {
       pattern,
-      patternErrorMessage: `Enter a valid OS grid reference for ${lowerFirst(this.label)} like TQ123456`
+      patternErrorMessage: `Enter a valid OS grid reference for {{#title}} like TQ123456`,
+      requiredMessage: 'Enter {{#title}}'
     }
   }
 
diff --git a/src/server/plugins/engine/outputFormatters/machine/v2.location.test.ts b/src/server/plugins/engine/outputFormatters/machine/v2.location.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..a47ece75b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/server/plugins/engine/outputFormatters/machine/v2.location.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,341 @@
+import {
+  ComponentType,
+  type EastingNorthingFieldComponent,
+  type FormDefinition,
+  type LatLongFieldComponent,
+  type NationalGridFieldNumberFieldComponent,
+  type OsGridRefFieldComponent,
+  type PageQuestion
+} from '@defra/forms-model'
+
+import {
+  EastingNorthingField,
+  LatLongField,
+  NationalGridFieldNumberField,
+  OsGridRefField
+} from '~/src/server/plugins/engine/components/index.js'
+import { FormModel } from '~/src/server/plugins/engine/models/index.js'
+import { type DetailItemField } from '~/src/server/plugins/engine/models/types.js'
+import { format } from '~/src/server/plugins/engine/outputFormatters/machine/v2.js'
+import { buildFormContextRequest } from '~/src/server/plugins/engine/pageControllers/__stubs__/request.js'
+import { FormStatus } from '~/src/server/routes/types.js'
+
+describe('Machine V2 formatter - Location fields', () => {
+  const definition: FormDefinition = {
+    name: 'Location Test Form',
+    startPage: '/location',
+    pages: [
+      {
+        path: '/location',
+        title: 'Location Page',
+        next: [],
+        components: [
+          {
+            type: ComponentType.EastingNorthingField,
+            name: 'locationEN',
+            title: 'Easting and Northing',
+            options: {}
+          },
+          {
+            type: ComponentType.LatLongField,
+            name: 'locationLL',
+            title: 'Latitude and Longitude',
+            options: {}
+          },
+          {
+            type: ComponentType.OsGridRefField,
+            name: 'gridRef',
+            title: 'OS Grid Reference',
+            options: {}
+          },
+          {
+            type: ComponentType.NationalGridFieldNumberField,
+            name: 'ngField',
+            title: 'National Grid Field Number',
+            options: {}
+          }
+        ]
+      } satisfies PageQuestion
+    ],
+    lists: [],
+    sections: [],
+    conditions: []
+  }
+
+  const model = new FormModel(definition, { basePath: 'test' })
+  const locationPage = definition.pages[0] as PageQuestion
+
+  const submitResponse = {
+    message: 'Submit completed',
+    result: {
+      files: {
+        main: '00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000',
+        repeaters: {}
+      }
+    }
+  }
+
+  const pageUrl = new URL('http://example.com/test/location')
+
+  const request = buildFormContextRequest({
+    method: 'get',
+    url: pageUrl,
+    path: pageUrl.pathname,
+    params: {
+      path: 'location',
+      slug: 'test'
+    },
+    query: {},
+    app: { model }
+  })
+
+  const formStatus = {
+    isPreview: false,
+    state: FormStatus.Live
+  }
+
+  it('includes LatLongField values with full property names (latitude/longitude) in the payload', () => {
+    const state = {
+      $$__referenceNumber: 'ABC-123',
+      locationLL__latitude: 51.51945,
+      locationLL__longitude: -0.127758
+    }
+
+    const context = model.getFormContext(request, state)
+
+    const latLongField = new LatLongField(
+      locationPage.components[1] as LatLongFieldComponent,
+      { model }
+    )
+
+    const items: DetailItemField[] = [
+      {
+        name: 'locationLL',
+        label: 'Latitude and Longitude',
+        href: '/location',
+        title: 'Latitude and Longitude',
+        field: latLongField,
+        state,
+        value: '51.519450, -0.127758'
+      } as unknown as DetailItemField
+    ]
+
+    const result = format(context, items, model, submitResponse, formStatus)
+    const payload = JSON.parse(result)
+
+    // Verify the payload uses full property names, not abbreviated
+    expect(payload.data.main.locationLL).toEqual({
+      latitude: 51.51945,
+      longitude: -0.127758
+    })
+
+    // Ensure abbreviated forms are NOT present
+    expect(payload.data.main.locationLL).not.toHaveProperty('lat')
+    expect(payload.data.main.locationLL).not.toHaveProperty('long')
+  })
+
+  it('includes EastingNorthingField values with full property names (easting/northing) in the payload', () => {
+    const state = {
+      $$__referenceNumber: 'ABC-123',
+      locationEN__easting: 123456,
+      locationEN__northing: 654321
+    }
+
+    const context = model.getFormContext(request, state)
+
+    const eastingNorthingField = new EastingNorthingField(
+      locationPage.components[0] as EastingNorthingFieldComponent,
+      { model }
+    )
+
+    const items: DetailItemField[] = [
+      {
+        name: 'locationEN',
+        label: 'Easting and Northing',
+        href: '/location',
+        title: 'Easting and Northing',
+        field: eastingNorthingField,
+        state,
+        value: '654321, 123456'
+      } as unknown as DetailItemField
+    ]
+
+    const result = format(context, items, model, submitResponse, formStatus)
+    const payload = JSON.parse(result)
+
+    // Verify the payload uses full property names
+    expect(payload.data.main.locationEN).toEqual({
+      easting: 123456,
+      northing: 654321
+    })
+  })
+
+  it('includes simple location field values in the payload', () => {
+    const state = {
+      $$__referenceNumber: 'ABC-123',
+      gridRef: 'TQ123456',
+      ngField: 'NG12345678'
+    }
+
+    const context = model.getFormContext(request, state)
+
+    const osGridRefField = new OsGridRefField(
+      locationPage.components[2] as OsGridRefFieldComponent,
+      { model }
+    )
+
+    const nationalGridField = new NationalGridFieldNumberField(
+      locationPage.components[3] as NationalGridFieldNumberFieldComponent,
+      { model }
+    )
+
+    const items: DetailItemField[] = [
+      {
+        name: 'gridRef',
+        label: 'OS Grid Reference',
+        href: '/location',
+        title: 'OS Grid Reference',
+        field: osGridRefField,
+        state,
+        value: 'TQ123456'
+      } as unknown as DetailItemField,
+      {
+        name: 'ngField',
+        label: 'National Grid Field Number',
+        href: '/location',
+        title: 'National Grid Field Number',
+        field: nationalGridField,
+        state,
+        value: 'NG12345678'
+      } as unknown as DetailItemField
+    ]
+
+    const result = format(context, items, model, submitResponse, formStatus)
+    const payload = JSON.parse(result)
+
+    expect(payload.data.main.gridRef).toBe('TQ123456')
+    expect(payload.data.main.ngField).toBe('NG12345678')
+  })
+
+  it('includes all location fields in a mixed form with correct property names', () => {
+    const state = {
+      $$__referenceNumber: 'ABC-123',
+      locationEN__easting: 123456,
+      locationEN__northing: 654321,
+      locationLL__latitude: 51.51945,
+      locationLL__longitude: -0.127758,
+      gridRef: 'TQ123456',
+      ngField: 'NG12345678'
+    }
+
+    const context = model.getFormContext(request, state)
+
+    const eastingNorthingField = new EastingNorthingField(
+      locationPage.components[0] as EastingNorthingFieldComponent,
+      { model }
+    )
+    const latLongField = new LatLongField(
+      locationPage.components[1] as LatLongFieldComponent,
+      { model }
+    )
+    const osGridRefField = new OsGridRefField(
+      locationPage.components[2] as OsGridRefFieldComponent,
+      { model }
+    )
+    const nationalGridField = new NationalGridFieldNumberField(
+      locationPage.components[3] as NationalGridFieldNumberFieldComponent,
+      { model }
+    )
+
+    const items: DetailItemField[] = [
+      {
+        name: 'locationEN',
+        label: 'Easting and Northing',
+        href: '/location',
+        title: 'Easting and Northing',
+        field: eastingNorthingField,
+        state,
+        value: '654321, 123456'
+      } as unknown as DetailItemField,
+      {
+        name: 'locationLL',
+        label: 'Latitude and Longitude',
+        href: '/location',
+        title: 'Latitude and Longitude',
+        field: latLongField,
+        state,
+        value: '51.519450, -0.127758'
+      } as unknown as DetailItemField,
+      {
+        name: 'gridRef',
+        label: 'OS Grid Reference',
+        href: '/location',
+        title: 'OS Grid Reference',
+        field: osGridRefField,
+        state,
+        value: 'TQ123456'
+      } as unknown as DetailItemField,
+      {
+        name: 'ngField',
+        label: 'National Grid Field Number',
+        href: '/location',
+        title: 'National Grid Field Number',
+        field: nationalGridField,
+        state,
+        value: 'NG12345678'
+      } as unknown as DetailItemField
+    ]
+
+    const result = format(context, items, model, submitResponse, formStatus)
+    const payload = JSON.parse(result)
+
+    // Check all location fields use full property names
+    expect(payload.data.main).toEqual({
+      locationEN: {
+        easting: 123456,
+        northing: 654321
+      },
+      locationLL: {
+        latitude: 51.51945,
+        longitude: -0.127758
+      },
+      gridRef: 'TQ123456',
+      ngField: 'NG12345678'
+    })
+
+    // Explicitly verify no abbreviated forms exist
+    expect(payload.data.main.locationLL).not.toHaveProperty('lat')
+    expect(payload.data.main.locationLL).not.toHaveProperty('long')
+  })
+
+  it('handles undefined location field values correctly', () => {
+    const state = {
+      $$__referenceNumber: 'ABC-123'
+    }
+
+    const context = model.getFormContext(request, state)
+
+    const latLongField = new LatLongField(
+      locationPage.components[1] as LatLongFieldComponent,
+      { model }
+    )
+
+    const items: DetailItemField[] = [
+      {
+        name: 'locationLL',
+        label: 'Latitude and Longitude',
+        href: '/location',
+        title: 'Latitude and Longitude',
+        field: latLongField,
+        state,
+        value: ''
+      } as unknown as DetailItemField
+    ]
+
+    const result = format(context, items, model, submitResponse, formStatus)
+    const payload = JSON.parse(result)
+
+    // Undefined location fields should be undefined in v2 (not null like in v1)
+    expect(payload.data.main.locationLL).toBeUndefined()
+  })
+})
diff --git a/src/server/plugins/engine/views/components/_location-field-base.html b/src/server/plugins/engine/views/components/_location-field-base.html
index 004f53cba..4a73aa706 100644
--- a/src/server/plugins/engine/views/components/_location-field-base.html
+++ b/src/server/plugins/engine/views/components/_location-field-base.html
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@
     {% if component.model.instructionText %}
       {{ govukDetails({
         summaryText: "How to find location details",
-        html: component.model.instructionText | safe,
+        html: component.model.instructionText | markdown | safe,
         classes: "govuk-!-margin-top-3"
       }) }}
     {% endif %}
diff --git a/src/server/plugins/engine/views/components/nationalgridfieldnumberfield.html b/src/server/plugins/engine/views/components/nationalgridfieldnumberfield.html
index 1f8666586..6611b6337 100644
--- a/src/server/plugins/engine/views/components/nationalgridfieldnumberfield.html
+++ b/src/server/plugins/engine/views/components/nationalgridfieldnumberfield.html
@@ -2,12 +2,16 @@
 {% from "govuk/components/details/macro.njk" import govukDetails %}
 
 {% macro NationalGridFieldNumberField(component) %}
-  {{ TextField(component) }}
+  {% set hasErrors = component.model.errorMessage %}
+  <div class="govuk-form-group {{ "govuk-form-group--error" if hasErrors }}">
+    {{ TextField(component) }}
 
-  {% if component.model.instructionText %}
-    {{ govukDetails({
-      summaryText: "How to find location details",
-      html: component.model.instructionText | safe
-    }) }}
-  {% endif %}
+    {% if component.model.instructionText %}
+      {{ govukDetails({
+        summaryText: "How to find location details",
+        html: component.model.instructionText | markdown | safe,
+        classes: "govuk-!-margin-top-3"
+      }) }}
+    {% endif %}
+  </div>
 {% endmacro %}
diff --git a/src/server/plugins/engine/views/components/osgridreffield.html b/src/server/plugins/engine/views/components/osgridreffield.html
index aec74fc95..1a2162cd5 100644
--- a/src/server/plugins/engine/views/components/osgridreffield.html
+++ b/src/server/plugins/engine/views/components/osgridreffield.html
@@ -2,12 +2,16 @@
 {% from "govuk/components/details/macro.njk" import govukDetails %}
 
 {% macro OsGridRefField(component) %}
-  {{ TextField(component) }}
+  {% set hasErrors = component.model.errorMessage %}
+  <div class="govuk-form-group {{ "govuk-form-group--error" if hasErrors }}">
+    {{ TextField(component) }}
 
-  {% if component.model.instructionText %}
-    {{ govukDetails({
-      summaryText: "How to find location details",
-      html: component.model.instructionText | safe
-    }) }}
-  {% endif %}
+    {% if component.model.instructionText %}
+      {{ govukDetails({
+        summaryText: "How to find location details",
+        html: component.model.instructionText | markdown | safe,
+        classes: "govuk-!-margin-top-3"
+      }) }}
+    {% endif %}
+  </div>
 {% endmacro %}