The problem
A monthly client newsletter keeps clients informed, but writing it means reading guidance and rewriting it. If it takes 3 hours an issue, that's 3 hours a month.
What the AI does
Paste the public text from GOV.UK or the practice's own notes (no client information) into ChatGPT, Claude or Gemini and ask for a plain-English summary of what changes, who it affects and what clients should do, with a short intro. A partner then checks each statement against the source and adds the practice's own view. The assistant doesn't know current law reliably, so the source text is yours.
A worked example
A practice of four in Exeter sends clients a monthly email newsletter. The partner pastes the relevant GOV.UK pages into an assistant, asks for a 400-word summary, edits it, and checks the figures against GOV.UK before sending.
Before
3 hours to read, write and check each issue: 3 hours a month
After
About 1.5 hours to prompt, check and edit: 1.5 hours a month
What it's worth
About 1.5 hours a month saved, worth around £68 if a partner's time is worth £45 an hour. Cost is free to about £20 a month for one person depending on the plan; free plans have usage limits.
How to set it up
- Collect the GOV.UK pages you want to cover and keep the links.
- Paste them into ChatGPT, Claude or Gemini and ask for a short plain-English summary for small business owners, with no advice.
- Check every rate, date and threshold against the GOV.UK page.
- Add the practice's own comment and a note to speak to you about their situation.
- Keep the draft, source links and your check with the newsletter file.
What goes wrong
- Assistants can state a wrong rate or date confidently. Never send a figure you haven't checked on GOV.UK.
- Don't paste client data or client-specific situations into a consumer plan.
- A newsletter that tells readers what to do in their own case is advice; keep it general and invite contact.
- Free plans have usage limits, and paid plans cost between about £4 and £20 a month depending on the vendor.