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Agreeing this is incredibly annoying. The only reason I have Xero is to submit VAT and Corporation Tax returns easily. Ours is a tiny company, 2 directors, no other employees and all I want to do is submit a Corporation Tax return, which should be included in the most basic of options.

I use Xero for my LLP partnership accounts to submit VAT returns. I've just been trying to work out how to submit an SA800 partnership tax return via Xero as I can see this became a new option in 2023. I followed the guidance in the Xero articles that told me to choose "partnership" in "organisation settings", followed by "enable partnership tax" in the accounting menu. I did this and no option to enable partnership tax appeared in the accounting menu even though I had waited longer than five minutes for the page to refresh. So I contacted Xero support. And they gave me this answer:

"Partnership Tax is only available to our UK Xero Partners who are part of our Xero partner program. If you want to file your accounts or tax return through Xero Tax, we recommend you reach out to one of our Partners. I've included a link to our advisor directory that lists accountants and bookkeepers proficient in Xero. You can filter the list by area, industry experience, firm size, advisor type and experience with Xero products."

For the past few years I have been submitting VAT returns via Xero, but submitting partnership tax returns via Selftax.co.uk because Xero wasn't listed on the HMRC site as one of the software programs that I could use to submit a partnership tax return.

Clearly I'm just going to do the same again if Xero doesn't allow me to do this: I.e. I'm going to use Selftax.co.uk to submit my partnership tax return. But it makes no sense to me that I can submit VAT returns via Xero and yet I have to go to Selftax.co.uk to submit my SA800. Anybody else have the same problem? Surely we should be able to submit our partnership tax returns directly.

For very small companies like ours (2 directors, one apprentice), the ability to file - for example - CT 600 is essential. As it is we can use other companies software - but this is unnecessarily inconvenient.

It is making us consider whether or not we should use other accounting software.

Completely agree this is a basic that should be there. I am an FCA working within companies. They are paying me for my experience and expertise in preparing accounts, yet the accounting package doesn't let me do this, and forces them to pay twice, and pay more, for an accountancy practice to do what could be done in house. Or to do accounts manually, which is more time consuming. This is a misjudgement of your customers and their needs.
In response to the reply above suggesting to connect to a Xero partner, we do have one, but don't want to pay them to prepare accounts when I can do this in house for a much lower cost.
A first step could be for Xero partners to be able to give customer staff access to the functionality, to prepare accounts and tax for the partners to review, if this could be a quick win, but this functionality should be available for all customers as they all need to prepare accounts and tax returns and shouldn't be held ******* to pay a partner they don't otherwise need.

Appreciate the response Kelly, but again, you are missing the point. Your customer don't want or need a Xero Partner. It's unnecessary cost that many cannot afford.

Ignoring this section of your customer base and continually trying to push them towards a Partner they don't need or want or cannot afford will just cause people to leave and go with products that suit their needs.

I can't really believe this isn't actually available already. It is literally the only reason I got Xero. With Xero not helping me create a tax document it is pointless therefore I'm going to have to cancel my subscription. Would be such a simple thing to do as well. All other services you provide the bank sort of does it anyway.

An accounting package that prevents a company from filing their accounts is absolutely useless. It is nothing short of extortion to force a business to find one of your partners and pay them to file the accounts on their behalf.

I am agreeing with many of the comments below. There are products on the market that will do this (and they are cheaper), such as FreeAgent (which you can even get for free via various banks).

I already have an accountant who is a friend of mine, I don't need or want to go to a Xero partner just to pay more to enable this functionality, and there will be (and are) many who are in the same situation as me (not wanting or needing a partner).

There is no reason not to make this standard functionality for businesses within Xero organisation, especially if you already have the functionality built in Xero Tax.

At least make Xero Tax available to non-partner businesses if combining them isn't an option.

Xero, there are many things that you have gotten right, but there are a few areas you have completely wrong. This is one of them.

Please make it a priority to sort out Corporation Tax - it is quite unbelievable because it means small businesses have to pay extra money and spend extra time getting filing done.

What I find annoying is that I cannot compare my official Company House accounts with my Xero P&L as standard. I don't have time as suggested by Xero Help to make a custom P&L report, why should I, when the concept of taxable and non-taxable income / expenses is a core accounting principle.

@Xero leadership, make this a priority and get this fixed asap!

PS Separately Xero has completely messed up Fixed Assets. After all my complaining one year ago, Xero finally made an attempt to make Fixed Assets better, but there is along way to go. So it appears that Xero will actually put attention to issues where customers complain alot and loudly. So I would recommend to all small businesses, complain as loud as you can on this issue, and we might actually get this done.

Seriously cannot believe it isn't already an essential feature. Will have to look at other options. FreeAgent here I come ...

Most other softwares offer the option to file directly with Companies House and HMRC. Xero has that system but only gives it to accountants. Why not let users have that option too? Why do we need to hire an Acccountant to file the accounts when we are paying a subscription to XERO already and can do it ourselves?

As others have said, it is crazy that we cannot file our own Compnay Accounts via Xero. This will force many people to leave Xero in favour of software that will do this :(

I agree with Chris, one of the reasons I went onto Xero was to enable me to submit my accounts electronically to HMRC, this is ludicrous that this can not be done by a micro business with just one employee and no accountant.

One of the reasons I went onto Xero was to enable me to submit my accounts electronically to HMRC, this is ludicrous that this can not be done by a small business and I have to pay an accountant to just submit my figures for me at a FEE. I have found this website, very reasonable and a one off charge
https://www.123efiling.co.uk/

I am a qualified accountant (although my business on Xero is not accounting related).
I imagine that many corporate users (company accountant, financial controller etc etc) would also be.
Why not allow this?

This is possible via Freeagent, for example - Xero should not block this direct for companies.

I'm a digital advisor at an accountancy practice.

We have a client who has their own in-house accountant who has been using Sage Business Cloud to submit their corporation tax return and companies house return from the software.

Having reviewed Sage Business Cloud, I have found that this software doesn't work as well as as it could and would like to recommend Xero as this has better integration with all their other software. However, Xero not having this feature for business owners could make the difference. :-(

Hopefully Xero will review this decision at some point.

It would be a great features to have integrated system for our statutory compliances. This saves lots of time and protect from error of manual works.

Given software-based filing is becoming mandatory soon it is extremely disappointing that Xero has chosen to ignore the needs of its small business customers in favour of lining the pockets of the accountants.

Fortunately alternatives like FreeAgent do support filing tax yourself, so we will be migrating away from Xero in the coming year.

link above takes you to another page in which you need to enter your details so they can tell you what product you need. unfortunately, it does not have statutory accounts or tax int he list. I am not even sure why Xero advisor sent me this. Not happy with Xero. wish there was a phone number.