- to meet popular demand we enhanced the program in 2008 so that users can output the figures, results etc. to a tiny text
file and store that file on disk.
- a General Benefits Checker. The QBC automatically calculates Housing
Benefit, CTB and all the Tax Credits - 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. - 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.
- from the final screen you can launch a single sheet print-out summarising
the claim details.
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For its grand finale, the QBC program performs an automatic Tax Credits
calculation (if appropriate) for Working Tax Credit,
Child Tax Credit and Pension Credit. |
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
large 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.
And a module to Compliment the QBC - Our original Hbtrainer Session can 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 !
The QBC program is currently released to more than 100 local authority customers and
numerous Housing Associations. When FIRST software/Sx3/Northgate saw the Quick Benefits Calculator they liked it so much that they proposed a joint marketing agreement, giving
them 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 . . . . .
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