AI tools can be useful for everyday things—like finding a cooking recipe, planning a journey or summarising a long article. We know they’re becoming part of daily life. When it comes to your pension though, AI should never be used as a standalone tool, it should always be used alongside trusted, official sources.
You may notice AI-generated summaries at the top of search results (for example, an “AI Overview” on Google). These can be a useful starting point, but they’re not always accurate or up to date—especially for complex areas like pensions.
Why AI Overviews aren’t a reliable source for your pension details.
There are many reasons why AI responses can be inaccurate. These include:
- They can mix up different pension schemes. Some online pages refer to the LGPS in Great Britain, private pensions, or older rules. AI summaries can blend these together.
- They can be out of date. Pension information changes over time, and AI tools can’t guarantee they’re using the latest Northern Ireland specific guidance.
- They may miss important detail. Short summaries can leave out conditions, exceptions, or steps you may need to take. They also do not take into account personal background and circumstances.
Where to get the right information
AI can be used effectively to understand what some pension options mean or to explain some jargon you don’t understand. However, it should not be used to make any decisions regarding your pension.
For the most accurate, up-to-date information about the Local Government Pension Scheme (Northern Ireland), please visit the NILGOSC website directly (www.nilgosc.org.uk). We’ve worked hard to put lots of detailed, accurate information on our website, and we keep it up to date; you’ll find member guides, forms and FAQ’s to cover nearly every query. If you do use a search engine, click through to the official NILGOSC website result rather than only relying on any AI generated
summary, and, if you were in a legacy section of the Scheme, take care that you’re reading the rules applicable to it.
You can also contact MoneyHelper for free, independant guidance at www.moneyhelper.org.uk or call 0800.
A quick note on keeping your information safe
To help protect you from fraud and identity theft, never upload or paste personal information into AI tools (for example, ChatGPT or similar services), because this information could be stored and used by AI tools and you may be misinformed. This includes documents such as your Annual Benefit Statement, as well as payslips, your National Insurance number, date of birth, home address, email address, phone number, bank details, and screenshots of your My NILGOSC Pension Online account.
If you’d like help understanding your benefits, please use the information on our website or your My NILGOSC Pension Online account. If you can’t find the information you are looking for you can call us on 0345 3197 325.
Remember: AI can be great for helping you understand complex subjects like pensions, but if you have any specific questions to do with your LGPS (NI) pension, please visit the NILGOSC website directly. This is the best way to make sure you’re reading correct, and up to date information.
