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Government benefits play a central role in retirement for a significant proportion of Australians. Yet many struggle to navigate the complexity of the Age Pension; leading them to apply late, make costly mistakes or give up entirely. Aware Super wanted to design a new service that would position the fund as a trusted guide through the process.
Sandbox partnered with Aware Super to design a service that helps eligible members successfully apply for the Centrelink Age Pension. With members missing out on payment entitlements due to an overwhelming process with a lack of support, Aware saw an opportunity to fill that gap. By launching the new Age Pension service, the fund distinguish itself as a leader in retirement support.
In six weeks, Sandbox moved from early concepts through to a tested service experience, shaped by feedback from real members at each stage. We engaged with members aged 57–87 across three design sprints; first to understand needs and test a broad range of possible solutions, then to determine the right features, and finally to prototype and refine the end-to-end experience.
This led to three focused propositions designed to meet members wherever they were at in their journey: An interactive eligibility tool for those just getting started, a step-by-step video guide for those ready to apply, and an expert check-in for those who needed human support. Each was prototyped and tested directly with eligible members and shaped by three design principles that emerged from the research: Keep it simple so as not to overwhelm, personalise it to what's relevant, and make it practical so people can take clear action.
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Sandbox delivered a validated service vision, and prototypes for all three propositions. Aware Super took the work into delivery and the service is now live. The service includes a step-by-step video guide that walks members through the Centrelink claim process and an Age Pension hub with resources and expert check-in booking. The service positions Aware as a fund that cares about more than just managing super, a finding that resonated strongly with members during testing and has the potential to drive both loyalty and acquisition.
