The AI Benefits Consultant provides information about your benefits; it does not give advice. This article explains what it can help with, where the line sits, and why. New to benefits altogether? Start with [New to employee benefits? Start here].
What it can help with
- Your benefits — "Which benefits am I enrolled in?" · "What else am I eligible for?"
- What's covered — "What does my dental plan cover?" · "Is physiotherapy included?" · "How do I make a claim?"
- When you can change things — "Can I change my benefits now?" · "When's the next enrolment window?"
- Your reward figures — "What does my employer contribute to my pension?"
- Who to contact — "Who do I call about my health insurance?" · "How do I contact HR?"
Answers drawn from your benefits content show a ‘Sources:’ line, so you can check the detail yourself.
If your benefit has cover levels, check with your HR team before you act. Where a benefit comes in levels — Gold, Silver, Bronze and so on — the consultant may answer from a different level than the one you're on, and the ‘Sources:’ line won't always make that obvious. Ask about "my" plan, and confirm anything that affects a decision with your HR team.
What it won't do — and why
The consultant is designed to inform, not advise. Some questions need a qualified professional, and the consultant is built to recognise them.
- It won't give financial or tax advice. Ask "how much should I pay into my pension?" and it will explain how contributions work, what your scheme allows, and then point you to [MoneyHelper](https://www.moneyhelper.org.uk) — the government-backed free guidance service — or an independent financial adviser (a professional you pay for personal financial advice).
- It won't give legal advice. For questions about your rights at work, it will share what your employer's policies say and point you to ACAS — the free government service for employment rights questions.
- It won't give medical advice. It can tell you what your health plan covers, but it won't suggest which option suits a health condition. For that: NHS.uk or your GP.
- It won't recommend or choose for you. Even if you ask it to choose, it will set out the facts and leave the decision with you.
- It can't make changes to your account. Enrolling, changing your choices, and updating personal details are all done in the portal itself; the consultant will point you to the right page.
In an emergency, call 999. Do not use the consultant or try to contact your benefits provider The consultant isn't equipped to deal with emergency situations.
When the answer isn't in the documents.
If your employer's documents don't cover your question, the consultant says so plainly rather than guessing. It will then give you the right next step: the provider's contact details for benefit specifics, or your HR team for policy and process questions.
"I couldn't find that" can also mean the document exists but hasn't been added to your portal in a way the consultant can read. If you know a document exists and the consultant can't find it, tell your HR team — they can fix it.
If a message is blocked.
Occasionally the consultant won't answer a message — a safety check has stopped it. It isn't a problem with you, no alert goes to your employer, and nothing is added to your record. The message stays part of your conversation like any other. Ask it a different way and carry on; the conversation stays open.