DLKW in £24m pensions coup
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has split the creative business for its pension credit scheme between Delaney Lund Knox Warren & Partners (DLKW) and direct marketing agency Draft Worldwide. The Government will spend &£24m on marketing and advertising the scheme, which encourages people to save for retirement rather than rely on government support, over two years.
The scheme has been controversial, with critics saying that it is too complex to understand and riddled with disincentives to save. It is due to come into force in October.
The pitch was led by COI Communications, and the final contest for the above-the-line creative account is believed to have been between DLKW and Publicis.
The brief will include a focus on awareness about applications for the credit and on the Government’s pledge to reward less well-off pensioners for saving above and beyond the state pension.
The credit is also designed to reward pensioners for saving with a cash top-up. It works in conjunction with the minimum income guarantee, which promises a basic income level for the poorest pensioners.
The Government launched its Green Paper on pensions last year. It proposed measures to encourage people to carry on working until they reach 65 and to crack down on age discrimination. The proposal also included measures to simplify the tax framework for pensions. The consultation period for the proposals ends on March 28.
