Six cities, one community: reflections from the UK Roadshow 2026

That’s a wrap. Yesterday we closed our 2026 UK Roadshow at Tobacco Dock in London. It was the final stop on a tour that took us from Bristol and Exeter to Birmingham, Edinburgh, Manchester and London, with hundreds of our accounting and bookkeeping partners joining us in each city along the way. Some of you braved the storms in Edinburgh, some joined us under the wings of the concorde in Bristol and some were among the full house in London. Whichever stop you came to, thank you. You gave us a whole day during one of the busiest times of year, and you made each event what it was.

Getting into a room with accountants and bookkeepers is one part of my job that never gets old. I come away from every Roadshow with a different kind of energy, and this year that feeling was stronger than ever. Here’s what stayed with me.

1. The best conversations happened between you

If I had to pick one highlight from this year’s Roadshow, it would be the conversations in the room between sessions. Over coffee, at lunch, around the app partner stands and long after the last breakout had finished, you were giving our team feedback and swapping notes. Comparing approaches to MTD for Income Tax, debating AI, sharing what’s actually working for your clients – and what isn’t.

Those conversations are often the most valuable part of the day. Running a practice can feel isolating, and it’s easy to forget how many others are working through the same questions as you. One partner told me that after a spell of feeling quite on their own with it all, the day had re-energised them to keep going for another five years. I can’t think of a better reason to bring this community together in person.

You were also refreshingly direct with us about what’s working, what isn’t and what you need next. That honesty helps shape what we build. Our ‘Tips and Tricks’ session was a highlight once again, proving there’s always something new to learn, even for seasoned Xero users. Plenty of you told us there were product updates that you hadn’t come across yet. More on that to follow. For now, you can check out our Roadshow content hub to dive deeper into the tips and tricks we shared.

2. This industry is more important than ever

It felt fitting that our final stop fell on International Accounting Day. The 10th of November marks Luca Pacioli’s 1494 publication that first set out double-entry bookkeeping. More than 500 years on, the tools look quite different, but the value of trusted financial guidance hasn’t changed at all.

In my keynote I spoke about our shared purpose of helping small businesses thrive. And that purpose has never been more important as small businesses face some of the toughest conditions we’ve seen in years. 

The numbers behind that are stark. In the past year, nearly 24,000 UK companies entered insolvency – the highest since 2009 – and almost 80% of those were small businesses. Late payments alone are closing 38 UK businesses every single day. Helping your clients get paid is one of the most important things you do for them, even if it doesn’t always feel that way in the day-to-day.

The businesses that make it through aren’t always the ones with the biggest balance sheets. They’re the ones who know their cash position, who have clarity on where they actually stand,  and who are working with someone like you.

I also said in my keynote that if my son asked whether he should become an accountant, I wouldn’t hesitate for a second. Yes, the profession is evolving, but the need for human judgement, empathy and trusted relationships is only becoming more important.

3. What we heard from you 

Every city had its own flavour, but a few themes came up again and again.

AI: excitement, uncertainty and where to actually start. I asked for a show of hands at every stop. Some of you were overwhelmed by the noise around AI, some couldn’t wait to get going and many were somewhere in between. All of those feelings are valid. We’ve been here before with the move to the cloud, and the firms that got ahead of it saw the results. 

Our view is that AI predicts answers based on probability, but your numbers have to be exact – that precision can’t be compromised. So the numbers must stay safe, while the process around them is where AI can free up real capacity. That’s why AI in Xero works inside a “harness” of security controls. You told us you want practical first steps, for your practice and for your clients, and that’s what we’re committed to giving you. You can read more in Kate’s Xerocon blog here. 

4. A look at what we’re building

We also shared a range of product updates and a glimpse at what’s ahead. The thread running through all of it is connecting more of the work from books to tax: Smart Document Capture and Automated Bank Reconciliation; new books-health and document-request capabilities in Xero Partner Hub; and our plans for Corporation Tax in Xero, alongside continued progress on Making Tax Digital for Income Tax.

We also talked about reducing the everyday friction around practice workflows and cash flow, including XeroForce – our custom AI agent builder, and new payment and cash flow capabilities. The aim is to give practices more visibility and help take some of the repetitive work off their hands, so there’s more room for the conversations and decisions where your expertise matters most.

The best part of sharing these updates in person was hearing your reactions and questions. Your feedback helps us understand what’s useful, where we need to do better and what you need from us next. We’re listening, and we’ll keep building with you.

In the meantime, stay up to date with the latest product releases at The Long and Short of It. It’s the best way to keep on top of what’s new in Xero between Roadshows. And if something’s on your mind, share it through our Product Ideas page. 

5. Thank you to all our speakers

Thank you to everyone who shared their experience from the floor. And special shout out to the accountants and bookkeepers who joined us on stage during our panels. Your insight made the conversations more practical, honest and useful for everyone in the room.

And to everyone who came along, and to everyone working behind the scenes who helped make the Roadshows happen, thank you. You brought warmth, candour and generosity to every stop. Most of all, you reminded us what this community looks like when it comes together around a shared purpose: helping small businesses get through, and get ahead.

The Roadshows may be over for this year, but the conversations aren’t. We’re looking forward to continuing them with you.