It assigns points based on factors such as size, condition, visibility, and setting, which can then be converted into a monetary value.

It is one of several methods of placing a monetary value on the visual amenity provided by individual trees and/or woodland.

It has been extensively used in court cases, insurance claims and public inquiries to place visual amenity values on individual trees and to a somewhat lesser extent has been used in court to place visual amenity values on woodland.

The basic approach of the Helliwell system is to allocate point scores under a number of different factors such as tree size, life expectancy, suitability to setting etc. These scores are then combined to give an overall comparative score for a tree or woodland. As a further step, it is then possible to attach a value to this point score by use of a monetary conversion factor.