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The advisory retainer was designed before software could do this
Peninsula and Citation built their businesses selling human expertise on multi-year contracts. That model made sense when employment law changed slowly and templates were the best technology available. It does not make sense in 2026.
What advisory contracts actually include
Advisory retainers typically include four things: a set of template policies loosely customised to your business, periodic updates when law changes (often delayed by weeks or months), a telephone helpline for HR questions, and an annual review meeting.
The helpline is genuinely useful. If an employee raises a grievance at 9pm on a Friday, calling someone for guidance has real value. We do not replicate that, and we are honest about it.
The rest — templates, updates, and reviews — is where the model breaks down.
Where the model breaks down
Generic templates, not your policies
Advisory firms serve thousands of clients. Their templates are written to cover the broadest possible range of employers. A 15-person technology consultancy and a 40-person care home receive substantially the same disciplinary procedure. Pedantic generates policies from your organisation profile: your sector, your working patterns, your specific benefits and procedures.
Updates arrive late
When the harassment prevention duty came into force in October 2024, employers needed compliant policies immediately. Advisory firms took weeks to months to distribute updated templates. Pedantic monitors 18 regulatory sources daily and generates specific update recommendations within days of a change — showing your current wording alongside proposed replacement text.
Contracts designed to keep you, not help you
Peninsula's standard contract is 3–5 years with annual price uplifts of 5–10%. A £2,000 Year 1 contract becomes £2,500–£3,000 by Year 3. Citation offers 3–7 year terms. Pedantic has no contract. Monthly or annual billing, cancel at any time.
Side by side
| Advisory retainer | Pedantic | |
|---|---|---|
| Annual cost (30 staff) | £2,000+ (often higher after Year 1 uplift) | £490/year (Starter) or £990/year (Growth) |
| Contract | 3–7 years, auto-renewing | No contract. Cancel any time. |
| Policy customisation | Lightly customised generic templates | Generated from your org profile, sector, and workforce |
| Compliance audit | Annual review (if remembered) | On-demand, checks against 28 specific legal requirements |
| Law change response time | Weeks to months | Days. 18 sources monitored daily. |
| Policy updates | New template emailed, you implement | Proposed wording shown inline. One-click apply. |
| Employee distribution | Not included | Built-in. Evidence packs for tribunal defence. (Growth) |
| Telephone helpline | Yes, 24/7 | No |
| Dismissal process support | Phone guidance | Dismissal pre-flight check (free) + procedural guides |
Annual cost (30 staff)
- Advisory retainer
- £2,000+ (often higher after Year 1 uplift)
- Pedantic
- £490/year (Starter) or £990/year (Growth)
Contract
- Advisory retainer
- 3–7 years, auto-renewing
- Pedantic
- No contract. Cancel any time.
Policy customisation
- Advisory retainer
- Lightly customised generic templates
- Pedantic
- Generated from your org profile, sector, and workforce
Compliance audit
- Advisory retainer
- Annual review (if remembered)
- Pedantic
- On-demand, checks against 28 specific legal requirements
Law change response time
- Advisory retainer
- Weeks to months
- Pedantic
- Days. 18 sources monitored daily.
Policy updates
- Advisory retainer
- New template emailed, you implement
- Pedantic
- Proposed wording shown inline. One-click apply.
Employee distribution
- Advisory retainer
- Not included
- Pedantic
- Built-in. Evidence packs for tribunal defence. (Growth)
Telephone helpline
- Advisory retainer
- Yes, 24/7
- Pedantic
- No
Dismissal process support
- Advisory retainer
- Phone guidance
- Pedantic
- Dismissal pre-flight check (free) + procedural guides
But what about the helpline?
The helpline is the primary reason employers stay with Peninsula and Citation. It provides reassurance when something goes wrong. That is real value.
But consider what you are calling about. Most helpline calls fall into two categories: "what does our policy say about X?" and "what process should I follow for Y?"
If your policies are comprehensive, specific to your business, and current, the first question answers itself. Pedantic's procedural guides — step-by-step walkthroughs for disciplinary, grievance, absence management, and more — address the second.
For genuinely complex situations — a tribunal claim, a TUPE transfer, a senior dismissal — you should be using an employment solicitor, not a helpline. Pedantic costs £49/month. Use the £1,500+ you save to pay a solicitor when you actually need one.
When to switch
If your contract renewal is approaching, run a free audit before you renew. Upload the handbook your advisory service provided and see how it scores against current law. If there are gaps — and our data shows most advisory-provided handbooks have at least two critical gaps — you have a concrete reason to switch.
If you are mid-contract, Pedantic works alongside your existing provider. Use the free audit to identify what your advisory service has missed, then raise it with them. When your contract ends, you will already know whether Pedantic replaces them.
Run a free audit and see what your advisory service missed
Upload the handbook they gave you. The audit checks against 28 legal requirements including ERA 2025 changes. Results in minutes.