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Behind every great feature is a problem that needs to be solved. Lloyds Banking Group’s Benefit Calculator tackled one head-on — and is already making waves in how support reaches those who need it most.
11:FS Pulse champions product journeys that go beyond great UX to deliver real-world impact, and one standout example of that is Lloyds Banking Group's Benefit Calculator journey that was recently awarded our ‘Pulse Pick of the Week’.
The feature is a rare example of UX that blends smart design, bold vision, and a deep understanding of real customer needs.
I spoke to Tamara van den Ban, the Managing Director of Customer & Commercial at Lloyds, who led the team behind the journey, and it was clear from the outset: this wasn’t just about building a feature—it was about solving a systemic problem.
It wasn't about launching a new feature for the sake of it. It was about solving a real problem and giving our customers more control.
Empowering everyday finances
The initial motivation for the feature came from something simple yet powerful: listening. The team was paying close attention to the growing number of customers expressing financial anxiety and uncertainty.
“We recognised that many people want to feel more in control of their finances but often do not know where to start or what support they might be entitled to.”
The context? A staggering £23 billion in benefits go unclaimed every year in the UK, meaning millions of people are missing out on financial support—not because they’re ineligible, but because they don’t know where to start or are discouraged by complex processes and stigma.
Rather than respond with a campaign or content, the team saw a chance to build something useful. With the reach and tech capabilities of the wider Lloyds Banking Group behind them, they aimed to remove friction, raise awareness, and ultimately put money back in people’s pockets.
“It wasn't about launching a new feature for the sake of it. It was about solving a real problem and giving our customers more control.”
From the start, the team was laser-focused on outcomes. They weren't just introducing a calculator—they were building confidence. Research showed the main barriers to claiming benefits were lack of awareness, complexity, and stigma. So the solution had to be frictionless, intuitive, and reassuring.
The user journey was designed to be seamlessly integrated into Lloyds’ mobile banking experience. That meant clear entry points, with direct signposting and support for any onward claim.
Designed with customers, not just for them
One of the standouts of this journey is how deeply involved customers were in shaping it. While the underlying tech came from Lloyds’ partner InBest, everything regarding the wider customer experience was validated through continuous testing.
The subtlety of language throughout the journey made a big difference in combating the social stigma of; “this isn’t for me.” Shifting from generic messaging to personal relevance helped encourage engagement as Lloyds’ team iterated closely with real users, adjusting to build confidence and reduce drop-off.
It’s a strong reminder that effective UX isn’t always about bold redesigns—sometimes it’s the micro-adjustments that truly move the needle.
“It was amazing to see the difference subtle changes of language and user interface could make to customers’ willingness to engage and complete the journey.”
The team was able to get the calculator into the hands of their customers in under 9 months. It’s still very much an MVP, though there are a number of enhancements being worked on already to ensure every customer gets the support they need.
Joe Colchester, Head of Product at 11:FS Pulse, had this to say about the feature:
“As is clear from its Pulse Pick of the Week selection, we’re loving the Benefit Calculator journey. Lloyds has truly empowered its users to get more out of their money through a clear, inclusive, and holistic user experience.”
The power of partnerships
From day one, the approach from Lloyds was rooted in collaboration. They knew that to bring the Benefit Calculator to customers quickly and effectively, it made sense to combine their strengths with experts in the space. Partnering with InBest allowed them to accelerate development and focus on seamlessly integrating the feature into their app.
InBest worked closely with the Lloyds team to co-design the end-to-end customer journey, with one clear goal: to make it as simple as possible for customers to access and manage the benefits they are eligible for.
Manuel Peleteiro, Co-Founder of InBest, said of the partnership;
“We built our platform from the ground up to be easy to integrate with complementary banking journeys, allowing customers to manage their benefits from the same platform they use for the rest of their finances. This is precisely the customer journey Lloyds had in mind when they approached us and the one that they have delivered seamlessly for their customers.”
Ultimately the measure of success is about getting more money in our customers’ pockets.
Chipping away at the problem
Since launch, over 2 million customers have started a Benefit Calculator journey in the Lloyds app. Interestingly, a good proportion of those sit in more affluent customer segments, and with council tax reductions and green grants being key benefits people are missing out on, it shows the feature has broad appeal.
But success for Lloyds isn’t just about feature usage—it’s about financial outcomes. The core metric? Pounds back in customers’ pockets. And while it’s early days, the signs are encouraging.
“Ultimately the measure of success is about getting more money in our customers’ pockets and connecting them with opportunities they might be missing out on to improve their financial lives. “
More broadly, Lloyds sees a big opportunity in financial education - in addition to the Benefit Calculator, they've also partnered with Doshi to deliver gamified financial literacy to Gen Z audiences.
It’s a smart strategy: embedding learning into actions rather than pushing static content. It reflects a more modern, contextual approach to improving money confidence, one that blends product design with behavioural science.
The digital solution
In the past, if you wanted to have a conversation with your bank about financial support, it happened in a branch. But with fewer physical banks than ever before, bringing this into mobile and digital banking changes the game for customers. It creates a low-pressure environment for discovery, and more importantly, it normalises the idea that benefits can apply to anyone.
“Making this information easy to access within the app helps demystify it and empowers customers to take full advantage of the support available to them.”
Lloyds is tackling stigma by design. A student might not know about council tax discounts. A carer might not realise they’re eligible for extra support. The app becomes a private, personalised space where people can learn what’s available to them—without fear of judgement or red tape.
This is the kind of digital transformation we’re all about here at 11:FS. We’ve helped financial institutions embrace truly digital financial services to bring winning propositions to market faster. You can find out more at 11fs.com/ventures.
The bigger picture
The Benefit Calculator didn’t emerge in isolation—it was part of a wider vision to help customers get more out of their money. This thinking sits at the heart of Lloyds’ More Money in Your Pocket hub.
As Lloyds describes it, the goal is to make every pound go further. Whether it’s unlocking cashback, discovering overlooked account features, or finding savings on household bills - the hub brings them all together in one place.
What’s clever here isn’t just the tools themselves—it’s the unification of these opportunities into one easily accessible experience.
Lloyds also recently soft-launched its Bill Switcher feature, developed in partnership with ApTap. It’s a digital assistant that helps customers spot better deals on everyday bills like broadband, energy and mobile. Customers can compare their current rates against market offers directly within the app.
“We’re reimagining how we can help customers identify opportunities. Big things are coming – watch this space!”
At 11:FS Pulse, we have an extensive library of over 17,000 best-in-class, handpicked user journeys just like Lloyds’ Benefit Calculator. It’s where financial services comes to benchmark products, features, and user journeys.
For every journey, we have detailed analysis, exclusive scoring, and downloadable content for your product team to leverage. We also have a comparison tool where you can see how the UK leading banks and challengers compare.
Want to see more? Book your demo today at 11fs.com/pulse
