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This page sits under UK Assessment Tests and is separate from US Civil Service exams.
This page sits under UK Assessment Tests and is separate from US Civil Service exams.
The Civil Service Numerical Test (CSNT) is an online psychometric assessment used in many UK Civil Service campaigns. Official GOV.UK guidance explains that it measures the ability to perform calculations and to evaluate and interpret numerical information.
The public sources reviewed describe the test as untimed and adaptive. Calculators and rough paper are commonly allowed in candidate guidance, but you must follow the instructions in your own invitation. Results are typically reported as percentiles against a comparison group, and scores may be banked for related grade groupings for a limited period.
The 45 questions below are original educational exercises. They are not official Civil Service, Cabinet Office, CS Jobs or JobTestPrep items, and they do not reproduce confidential live CSNT questions.
Key Takeaways
- The CSNT measures numerical ability under Success Profiles Ability.
- Official GOV.UK guidance describes the test as untimed and adaptive.
- Calculator and rough-paper use depend on your invitation instructions.
- Banked scores, when available, are grade-group and time-limited under official rules.
- There is no single universal numerical pass mark across campaigns.
Quick facts
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Assessment name | Civil Service Numerical Test (CSNT) |
| Framework element | Ability (Success Profiles) |
| Timing | Official guidance: not timed |
| Format notes | Adaptive; graphs, tables and numerical information |
| Official practice | Free Civil Service Numerical practice test on GOV.UK |
| Scoring | Percentile vs comparison group; banked scores may apply |
The current recruitment campaign controls. The process may vary by role and intake. Check your invitation before preparing.
How to prepare
- Take the official Civil Service Numerical practice test on GOV.UK first.
- Practise reading tables and charts carefully before calculating.
- Rebuild speed with percentages, ratios, averages and currency in pounds.
- Answer every question; official guidance states you cannot skip or go back.
- Use third-party PrepPacks only as supplemental drills after official familiarisation.
JobTestPrep UK Civil Service Numerical practice can support extra numerical drills as an independent commercial option. Confirm what is free versus paid on the product page. It is not Civil Service Resourcing or an official campaign assessment.
Practice questions
1. A council finance team records these departmental spends for one month:
| Department | Spend |
|---|---|
| Housing | £48,000 |
| Transport | £36,000 |
| Parks | £36,000 |
What is Housing spend as a percentage of the total of the three departments?
A. 38% B. 40% C. 42% D. 45%
Correct answer: B
Total spend = £48,000 + £36,000 + £36,000 = £120,000. Housing share = 48,000 / 120,000 = 0.4 = 40%.
2. A local authority library lends 420 books in March and 504 books in April. By what percentage did loans increase from March to April?
A. 15% B. 18% C. 20% D. 24%
Correct answer: C
Increase = 504 - 420 = 84. Percentage increase = 84 / 420 = 0.2 = 20%.
3. Three teams complete casework in the ratio 2 : 3 : 5. Altogether they close 400 cases. How many cases does the largest team close?
A. 200 B. 160 C. 120 D. 80
Correct answer: A
Parts = 2 + 3 + 5 = 10. One part = 400 / 10 = 40. Largest share = 5 × 40 = 200.
4. A trainee processes 54 applications in 4.5 hours at a constant rate. How many applications would the trainee process in 7 hours at the same rate?
A. 72 B. 78 C. 81 D. 84
Correct answer: D
Rate = 54 / 4.5 = 12 applications per hour. In 7 hours: 12 × 7 = 84.
5. A department’s average weekly overtime pay for 5 staff is £210. Four of the staff are paid £180, £195, £220 and £240. What is the fifth staff member’s overtime pay?
A. £200 B. £215 C. £225 D. £230
Correct answer: B
Total overtime = 5 × £210 = £1,050. Sum of four = £180 + £195 + £220 + £240 = £835. Fifth = £1,050 - £835 = £215.
6. Council tax receipts rise from £2.4 million to £2.76 million. What is the percentage increase?
A. 15% B. 12% C. 14% D. 18%
Correct answer: A
Increase = £2.76m - £2.4m = £0.36m. Percentage = 0.36 / 2.4 = 0.15 = 15%.
7. A procurement team compares unit prices for printer paper:
| Supplier | Packs | Total cost |
|---|---|---|
| Alpha | 12 | £54 |
| Beta | 15 | £75 |
| Gamma | 10 | £40 |
Which supplier has the lowest cost per pack?
A. Alpha B. Beta C. Gamma D. Alpha and Gamma equal
Correct answer: C
Alpha: £54 / 12 = £4.50. Beta: £75 / 15 = £5.00. Gamma: £40 / 10 = £4.00. Gamma is lowest.
8. A helpdesk resolves tickets in the ratio 5 : 3 between Category A and Category B. If Category A accounts for 125 tickets, how many Category B tickets are there?
A. 65 B. 75 C. 80 D. 100
Correct answer: B
Each part = 125 / 5 = 25. Category B = 3 × 25 = 75.
9. An office uses 20 litres of cleaning fluid each week. Fluid costs £3.30 per litre. What is the cost for a 6-week period?
A. £360 B. £378 C. £384 D. £396
Correct answer: D
Weekly cost = 20 × £3.30 = £66. For 6 weeks: 6 × £66 = £396.
10. Monthly call volumes for a contact centre are 1,260, 1,410 and 1,530. What is the mean monthly volume?
A. 1,400 B. 1,380 C. 1,420 D. 1,450
Correct answer: A
Sum = 1,260 + 1,410 + 1,530 = 4,200. Mean = 4,200 / 3 = 1,400.
11. A grant of £75,000 is shared so that Team X receives 28% and Team Y receives 36%. How much remains for Team Z?
A. £24,000 B. £26,000 C. £27,000 D. £28,000
Correct answer: C
Team Z receives 100% - 28% - 36% = 36%. Amount = 0.36 × £75,000 = £27,000.
12. A road repair crew covers 28 km in 3.5 hours. At the same average speed, how long would 44 km take?
A. 4.5 hours B. 5 hours C. 5.25 hours D. 5.5 hours
Correct answer: D
Speed = 28 / 3.5 = 8 km per hour. Time for 44 km = 44 / 8 = 5.5 hours.
13. A survey of 250 residents finds that 40% use the leisure centre at least weekly. Of those weekly users, 3 in 5 also use the library. How many residents use both weekly?
A. 50 B. 60 C. 75 D. 100
Correct answer: B
Weekly leisure users = 0.4 × 250 = 100. Both services = (3/5) × 100 = 60.
14. Stationery orders for four weeks cost £76, £88, £88 and £100. What is the median weekly cost?
A. £84 B. £86 C. £88 D. £90
Correct answer: C
Ordered values: £76, £88, £88, £100. Median = (£88 + £88) / 2 = £88.
15. A contractor invoices £4,600 excluding VAT. VAT is charged at 20%. What is the total including VAT?
A. £5,520 B. £5,600 C. £5,760 D. £5,800
Correct answer: A
VAT = 0.2 × £4,600 = £920. Total = £4,600 + £920 = £5,520.
16. Two printers produce documents at a combined rate of 90 pages per minute. Printer P alone produces 42 pages per minute. How many pages does Printer Q produce per minute?
A. 36 B. 40 C. 45 D. 48
Correct answer: D
Printer Q rate = 90 - 42 = 48 pages per minute.
17. A budget line is cut by 15% from £40,000, then increased by 10% from the new amount. What is the final budget?
A. £37,400 B. £38,000 C. £38,500 D. £39,000
Correct answer: A
After 15% cut: 0.85 × £40,000 = £34,000. After 10% rise: 1.1 × £34,000 = £37,400.
18. Case closures by borough office last quarter:
| Office | Closures |
|---|---|
| North | 180 |
| South | 150 |
| East | 95 |
| West | 200 |
What percentage of all closures were at the West office?
A. 30% B. 32% C. 35% D. 36%
Correct answer: B
Total = 180 + 150 + 95 + 200 = 625. West share = 200 / 625 = 0.32 = 32%.
19. Energy use in a civic building falls from 2,500 kWh to 2,075 kWh. What is the percentage decrease?
A. 12% B. 15% C. 17% D. 20%
Correct answer: C
Decrease = 2,500 - 2,075 = 425. Percentage = 425 / 2,500 = 0.17 = 17%.
20. A council fleet vehicle travels 960 miles on 80 litres of fuel. What is the fuel consumption in miles per litre?
A. 8 B. 9 C. 10 D. 12
Correct answer: D
Consumption = 960 / 80 = 12 miles per litre.
21. A benefits team has a target of 320 assessments per week. In one week it completes 272 assessments. What percentage of the target was achieved?
A. 80% B. 85% C. 88% D. 90%
Correct answer: B
Percentage of target = 272 / 320 = 0.85 = 85%.
22. Salaries in a small policy team are £28,000, £32,000, £36,000 and £44,000. What is the mean salary?
A. £35,000 B. £34,000 C. £36,000 D. £37,000
Correct answer: A
Sum = £28,000 + £32,000 + £36,000 + £44,000 = £140,000. Mean = £140,000 / 4 = £35,000.
23. Planning applications arrive at a rate of 15 per day. How many applications arrive over a 28-day period at this constant rate?
A. 360 B. 390 C. 400 D. 420
Correct answer: D
Total = 15 × 28 = 420.
24. A project budget of £90,000 is allocated in the ratio 4 : 5 : 6 across design, build and review. How much is allocated to review?
A. £24,000 B. £30,000 C. £36,000 D. £40,000
Correct answer: C
Parts = 4 + 5 + 6 = 15. One part = £90,000 / 15 = £6,000. Review = 6 × £6,000 = £36,000.
25. A training course costs £1,250 for 25 participants. What is the cost per participant?
A. £45 B. £50 C. £55 D. £60
Correct answer: B
Cost per participant = £1,250 / 25 = £50.
26. Complaint volumes over five months are 42, 38, 50, 46 and 44. What is the mean monthly number of complaints?
A. 44 B. 43 C. 45 D. 46
Correct answer: A
Sum = 42 + 38 + 50 + 46 + 44 = 220. Mean = 220 / 5 = 44.
27. A spare-parts inventory is valued at £18,000. Stock worth £2,700 is used. What percentage of the inventory value remains?
A. 80% B. 82% C. 85% D. 88%
Correct answer: C
Remaining value = £18,000 - £2,700 = £15,300. Percentage = 15,300 / 18,000 = 0.85 = 85%.
28. A mailroom sorts 1,080 items in 4.5 hours. At the same rate, how many items are sorted in 6 hours?
A. 1,200 B. 1,320 C. 1,400 D. 1,440
Correct answer: D
Rate = 1,080 / 4.5 = 240 items per hour. In 6 hours: 240 × 6 = 1,440.
29. Two departments share a travel budget of £9,600 in the ratio 5 : 7. How much does the smaller department receive?
A. £3,600 B. £4,000 C. £4,200 D. £5,600
Correct answer: B
Parts = 5 + 7 = 12. One part = £9,600 / 12 = £800. Smaller share = 5 × £800 = £4,000.
30. Room hire is £85 per hour. How much does 7.2 hours of hire cost?
A. £595 B. £600 C. £605 D. £612
Correct answer: D
Cost = 7.2 × £85 = £612.
31. Visitor numbers for four weekends are 1,150, 980, 1,220 and 1,050. What is the range?
A. 240 B. 220 C. 270 D. 200
Correct answer: A
Range = highest - lowest = 1,220 - 980 = 240.
32. A service fee rises from £25.00 to £28.75. What is the percentage increase?
A. 12% B. 14% C. 15% D. 16%
Correct answer: C
Increase = £3.75. Percentage = 3.75 / 25 = 0.15 = 15%.
33. Inspection times (minutes) for five sites are 40, 55, 35, 50 and 45. What is the median inspection time?
A. 40 B. 45 C. 50 D. 55
Correct answer: B
Ordered: 35, 40, 45, 50, 55. Median = middle value = 45.
34. A depot delivers parcels in the ratio 3 : 4 : 5 to Zones A, B and C. Zone C receives 200 parcels. How many does Zone A receive?
A. 120 B. 140 C. 150 D. 160
Correct answer: A
Zone C is 5 parts = 200, so one part = 40. Zone A = 3 × 40 = 120.
35. Staff expenses table:
| Staff | Claim |
|---|---|
| Pat | £84 |
| Jordan | £96 |
| Sam | £72 |
| Taylor | £108 |
What is the mean claim?
A. £84 B. £86 C. £90 D. £95
Correct answer: C
Sum = £84 + £96 + £72 + £108 = £360. Mean = £360 / 4 = £90.
36. A photocopier prints 36 pages per minute. How many minutes are needed to print 1,080 pages at this constant rate?
A. 25 B. 28 C. 32 D. 30
Correct answer: D
Time = 1,080 / 36 = 30 minutes.
37. A recycling scheme collects 2.4 tonnes in Week 1 and 3.0 tonnes in Week 2. What is the percentage increase from Week 1 to Week 2?
A. 20% B. 25% C. 30% D. 35%
Correct answer: B
Increase = 3.0 - 2.4 = 0.6 tonnes. Percentage = 0.6 / 2.4 = 0.25 = 25%.
38. Quarterly ICT costs are £12,400, £11,800, £13,200 and £12,600. What is the mean quarterly cost?
A. £12,400 B. £12,450 C. £12,500 D. £12,600
Correct answer: C
Sum = £12,400 + £11,800 + £13,200 + £12,600 = £50,000. Mean = £50,000 / 4 = £12,500.
39. A fleet of 8 vans travels a combined 3,200 miles in a month. What is the mean mileage per van?
A. 400 B. 380 C. 420 D. 450
Correct answer: A
Mean = 3,200 / 8 = 400 miles per van.
40. An invoice of £480 is paid early for a 5% discount. How much is paid after the discount?
A. £444 B. £450 C. £455 D. £456
Correct answer: D
Discount = 0.05 × £480 = £24. Amount paid = £480 - £24 = £456.
41. Enrolments on a civic skills course are 48 in autumn and 60 in spring. By what percentage did enrolments increase?
A. 20% B. 25% C. 30% D. 35%
Correct answer: B
Increase = 60 - 48 = 12. Percentage = 12 / 48 = 0.25 = 25%.
42. A maintenance team works 6 hours per day for 5 days and completes 90 jobs at a steady rate. How many jobs does the team complete per hour?
A. 3 B. 3.5 C. 4 D. 4.5
Correct answer: A
Total hours = 6 × 5 = 30. Jobs per hour = 90 / 30 = 3.
43. Housing waiting-list figures:
| Band | Households |
|---|---|
| Band 1 | 120 |
| Band 2 | 180 |
| Band 3 | 240 |
| Band 4 | 60 |
What percentage of households are in Band 3?
A. 35% B. 38% C. 40% D. 45%
Correct answer: C
Total = 120 + 180 + 240 + 60 = 600. Band 3 share = 240 / 600 = 0.4 = 40%.
44. A machine processes forms at 18 per hour. How many hours are needed to process 99 forms at this rate?
A. 4.5 B. 5 C. 5.25 D. 5.5
Correct answer: D
Time = 99 / 18 = 5.5 hours.
45. Three contractors quote for the same works: £12,000, £14,000 and £16,000. What is the mean quote?
A. £13,500 B. £14,000 C. £14,500 D. £15,000
Correct answer: B
Sum = £12,000 + £14,000 + £16,000 = £42,000. Mean = £42,000 / 3 = £14,000.
Official resources
- GOV.UK: Preparing for the Civil Service Verbal and Numerical tests
- GOV.UK: Civil Service online tests
Related guides
- UK Assessment Tests
- Civil Service Verbal Test
- Civil Service Judgement Test
- Civil Service Fast Stream
- Numerical Reasoning
FAQ
What does the CSNT measure?
Official guidance states it measures the ability to perform calculations and to evaluate and interpret numerical information to solve problems.
Is the CSNT timed?
Current GOV.UK guidance says the Verbal and Numerical tests are not timed, though most people take between about 15 and 45 minutes each.
Can I use a calculator?
Candidate guidance commonly allows a calculator and rough paper. Confirm the live instructions in your invitation.
What is a banked score?
If you meet the required standard, your score may be reused for certain future applications for a limited time. Expiry rules are set out on GOV.UK.
Next steps
Return to the UK Assessment Tests hub for more British employer, public-service and graduate-scheme guides.