The Context: The High Stakes of Retirement

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) manages the "Get Your State Pension" service, a lifeline for over 12 million people. Historically, the pension system was a "pull" service: the burden was on the citizen to know they were eligible, find the right forms, and navigate a complex set of rules. For vulnerable citizens, this complexity often led to "non-take-up," meaning people missed out on money they were legally entitled to.

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The Intervention: Strategy Driven by Empathy

ScrumConnect’s role was to shift the DWP from a "transactional" service to a "proactive" one. We adopted a Service Design mindset that looked at retirement not as a form to be filled, but as a critical life event.

1. The 6-Week "Lean Inception": At the height of the 2020 pandemic, there was a critical need to digitise Pension Credit. Using our "Think Big, Build Small" philosophy, we bypassed the traditional 12-month development cycle. We conducted rapid user research with seniors and launched a working digital service in just 6 weeks, providing a lifeline to low-income retirees.
2. Removing the "Sludge": We mapped the entire service blueprint to identify "sludge"—the unnecessary friction points. We discovered that asking for data the government already held was the biggest barrier. We worked with technical architects to integrate data streams across agencies, allowing for "one-click" verification of identity and tax status.
3. Inclusion by Design: We didn't just design for the "tech-savvy." We worked with accessibility experts to ensure the service exceeded WCAG 2.1 standards, using simplified language and high-contrast interfaces that worked seamlessly on older smartphones and tablets.

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The "ScrumConnect" Difference

We acted as a "bridge" between DWP policy leads and technical developers. By translating complex legislative rules into intuitive user journeys, we ensured that the digital service was not just a front-end layer, but a fundamental re-engineering of the pension process.

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Strategic Outcomes & Stats

• 60%+ Automated Processing: The majority of claims are now processed "touch-free," allowing DWP agents to focus on complex or high-need cases.
• 90%+ User Satisfaction: The service consistently maintains one of the highest satisfaction ratings across all UK government digital services.
• £1 Billion+ Unlocked: By simplifying the Pension Credit journey, we helped ensure that hundreds of thousands of vulnerable seniors claimed the extra support they were entitled to.

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