The Quick Benefits Calculator

Essentially, this program is designed to be a stand alone "Trial Benefits Calculator" for staff or (potentially) public use. The user travels through 10 main input screens to reach the result. At any point the user is completely free to move backwards or forwards and change the data, which makes it very easy to model "what if" estimates. A print button launches a single sheet print-out summarising the claim details. View a QBC screen sample .

ADVANCED FEATURES - The recent releases have implemented some significant ideas, for example -

a General Benefits Checker. The QBC automatically calculates Housing Benefit, CTB, Working Families' Tax Credit and DPTC but if you are interested in other benefits then just click the torch and our General Benefits Checker spotlight will estimate them all.
Verification Checklist facility - an optional print out listing those vital documents that the claimant should produce to "prove" the relevant claim components, based upon the information supplied. For example, claimants who disclose no unearned income will not see the unearned income paragraph on their print out, those who disclose no savings will not see the Capital and Savings paragraph and so on. Accordingly, the document is tailored, to some extent, to match each claim.
an automatic "disability premium" reckoner. If disability is indicated as a possible condition, the program presents a check list of disability benefits for the user to "tick". Armed with this information the program can figure out entitlement to any disability, severe disability and higher pensioner premium.
for those employed earners who only know their gross pay, there is an instant tax and N.I. estimate facility. Similarly, for self-employed earners, there is an instant tax and N.I. estimate facility based upon their Net Profit and Capital Allowances.
for those "tricky" student claims, there is a grant and loan income calculator.
the Capital Assets screen gives an automatic National Savings Certificates valuation.

For its grand finale, the QBC program performs an automatic Tax Credit calculation (if appropriate). For 2003, this feature is updated to do the new Working Tax Credit and Child Tax Credit, with Pensioners to follow in the Autumn.

Where to use the Quick Benefits Calculator -

Designed to give fast and accurate estimates for Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit claims, the program is already being used at a number of Local Authorities -

internally - allowing Revenues staff the luxury of rapid benefit claim estimates without recourse to mainframe systems - especially to model "what if" scenarios.
externally - at Enquiry Counters, Area Offices and Exhibitions. Authority staff and (potentially) members of the public can test out their benefit claims. The print-out can be retained for future reference.
Verification Officers can check claims "on the hoof" and simultaneously improve the rate of Benefits "take up" in the area.

Complimentary "free" Modules -

In 1999 we launched an entirely new module to deliver a very quick, easy and accurate way to estimate potential Working Families and Disabled Person's tax credit. This logic has now been fully integrated with the QBC program.

Our new Hbtrainer Session will put a zing into your Benefits training. Featuring 10 scenarios each offering 4 multiple choice questions, giving 40 puzzles, it is designed to give a thorough but fun tour around the entire Benefits subject. The program is suitable for induction training of new staff and as a refresher session for "old hands". Relevant source, reference or hint material is shown for every question and, after each "choice" is made, a visual answer accuracy indicator is displayed. At the end, a print-out is available to give a score and assess the student's performance. Be sure to use it in the true spirit of "edutainment". It's a fast, fun and factual experience ! Soon the Hbtrainer module is to be joined by an exciting new "Internet style" HBCaseBase of significant legal decisions.

The QBC program is currently released to more than 60 local authority customers and several Housing Associations. When FIRST software saw the Quick Benefits Calculator they liked it so much that they proposed a joint marketing agreement, giving FIRSTsoftware exclusive rights to sell the QBC into their userbase. Obviously this contract is quite an accolade for our Quick Benefits Calculator, to say the least.

So far as we are aware, several of the leading "mainframe" Benefits systems currently do not include a stand alone "Trial Benefits Calculator" e.g. FIRST, Sanderson and Academy. Those that do provide some sort of capability (like HBIS and Bull), cannot compare with our QBC in terms of speed , versatility and flexibility.

QBC screen sample . . . . . Otech home