Will QBSE be improved to become MTD compatible before 2026?

I understand your concern with the MTD in QuickBooks Self-Employed (QBSE), JSSE. To help us resolve this quickly and give you more information, I suggest contacting our support team at https://intui..me/CU. This will allow us to securely access your account information and obtain all the details we need to help you out.

Here's the step-by-step process:

1. Click this link: https://intuit.me/CU.

2. Select the product you're using and the edition.

3. Enter a summary of your concern in the What's your question? Field.

4. Click Continue.

5. Choose how you would like to connect with us.

Additionally, you can visit the Intuit Help Hub at https://intuit.me/OHH. It provides personalised support based on your QuickBooks needs.

This brief video guide will help you navigate the platform and address your questions or concerns: https://intuit.me/OHHvideo.

Let me know if you have other questions about MTD. I want to ensure everything is taken care of for you.

Hello Maybelle_S,

Thank you for your reply - though you have not answered or addressed my question. The questions are not connected to my own personal account - they are general questions that will be relevant to all UK users of QBSE. 

The questions can only be resolved by Quickbooks representatives answering the questions (not by accessing my account) - are there any plans or intentions to improve the product so that it will comply with MTD? Are there any plans or intentions to improve the product so that it will be acceptable by HMRC as business accounts - Currently QBSE does not satisfy either of these requirements. (as stated by Quickbooks representatives in the link above).

In the interest of transparency - and because this will be important information for all UK users of QBSE, please answer the following 2 questions here in this thread.

Thank you.

1. Will QBSE be improved to be compatible with MTD before 2026?

2. Will QBSE be improved to the degree that it would be acceptable by HMRC if they requested to see someones Self Employed business accounts?

Thank you.

Let me provide clarifications regarding the compatibility of QuickBooks Self-Employed (QBSE) with Making Tax Digital (MTD), JSSE.

QBSE is designed to help self-employed individuals manage their finances and prepare for tax time.  At this moment, we can't provide any specific details about improvements or updates for QBSE to ensure compatibility with MTD (Making Tax Digital) by 2026.

Enhancing the program to work seamlessly with the MTD tool and ensuring it meets HMRC standards is a significant improvement that will greatly benefit numerous users. Let’s make sure to pass this idea along to our product developers for consideration in future releases.

Here's how:

1. Open QBSE and tap on the Assistant icon at the bottom.
2. Enter feedback in the field.
3. Choose Add a feature and enter your product suggestions.
   
4. Click Send.

For MTD compliance and to meet HMRC's requirements, you can consider switching to QuickBooks Online (QBO), which offers more robust features suitable for managing complex tax scenarios. Make sure to download all your work from QuickBooks Self-Employed first, so you have an additional copy for your records.

I’ve provided some links below that feature topics about managing your Self-Assessment taxes, common expenses you can claim on your income tax, and a checklist to help you keep track of your tax return:

• Self Assessment for Income Tax checklist for QuickBooks Self-Employed
• Allowable and disallowable expenses explained

If you have any more questions or need further clarification, feel free to leave a comment below. I’m here to lend a helping hand.

Hello Rasa-LilaM,

Thank you for your reply - though again you have not answered or addressed my question. 

I am aware of the feature request system - this does not work and was not my question.

I am aware that you offer other more expensive products - and that other providers also offer similar products at very competitive prices - this was not my question.

Currently QBSE is not satisfactory for Making Tax Digital requirements - nor is it satisfactory for HMRC if they request to see business accounts. (as stated by Quickbooks representatives in the link above).

In the interest of transparency and openness and because it will be highly useful information for all UK users of QBSE because complying with MTD will become compulsory in 2026 - please answer the following simple and direct questions with simple and direct answers.

Thank you.

1. Are there any plans or intentions to improve QBSE so that it will become compatible with HMRC’s Making Tax Digital regulations before 2026?

2. Are there any plans or intentions to improve QBSE so that it would be acceptable by HMRC if they requested to see someone’s Self Employed business accounts?

Hello there, JSSE.

Thank you for your message and for seeking clarity on these important issues regarding QuickBooks Self-Employed (QBSE) and Making Tax Digital (MTD) compliance. I appreciate your emphasis on transparency. Let me share additional details.

There are currently no confirmed plans to improve QBSE for compatibility with HMRC’s Making Tax Digital regulations or to enhance it to meet HMRC's requirements for self-employed business accounts before 2026. 

We understand the importance of these issues for our users and appreciate your patience as we continue to explore options for improvement in the future. Your feedback is invaluable to us. 

For more information about our program, I encourage you to explore this valuable resource that provides a comprehensive overview: QuickBooks Self-Employed Overview.

Additionally, I'll provide an article with step-by-step instructions to help you effectively maximize the software’s functionalities: QuickBooks Self-Employed Guide.

We encourage you to use the Reply button if you have any further questions or concerns regarding specific features of our applications. My team and I are always here to provide the information and support you need.

Hello AbigailS_,

Thank you for confirming that Intuit Quickbooks has no intention of improving QBSE to be suitable for Making Tax Digital before it becomes compulsory for UK businesses in 2026.

And for confirming that Intuit Quickbooks has no intention of improving QBSE so that it would be acceptable as accounting software by HMRC if they requested to see business accounts.

This is very important information that all UK users should be made aware of.

Will your adverts and marketing start to reflect this? Quickbooks should be honest with their customers and be clearer about what the product offers - currently your marketing is very misleading - implying that QBSE is 'Accounting Software' - but it is clearly not fit for this purpose (as you have stated, QBSE would not be accepted as accounting by HMRC) - and will be even less fit for purpose when MTD becomes compulsory.

I imagine Quickbooks will stand to lose a lot of UK customers if they do not adapt with the times and provide a suitable product for MTD going forward.

At the moment QBSE is a Tax Return Aid - nothing more. It can calculate a basic profit/loss balance, but does not provide sufficient Accounting Features to call it Accounting Software. Accounting Software should be able to produce accounts which are acceptable for HMRC and should be adapting and improving ready for MTD in 2026.

Since you have no plans to improve this it will remain just a Tax Aid software, not Accounting Software. 

Please request that your marketing team make this very clear in your advertising so that you don't continue to mislead customers.

Hello AbigailS_,

Thank you for confirming that Intuit Quickbooks has no intention of improving QBSE to be suitable for Making Tax Digital before it becomes compulsory for UK businesses in 2026.

And for confirming that Intuit Quickbooks has no intention of improving QBSE so that it would be acceptable as accounting software by HMRC if they requested to see business accounts.

Will your adverts and marketing start to reflect this and inform your customers about these limitations to the QBSE product?

Thanks for persisting with this JSSE to try to get a clear answer which I think you eventually kind-of received.

I don't think QB support understands the importance of this issue. I saw on the HMRC site that Xero and Sage are on there as approved software providers for the upcoming CT submissions from March 2026 and was surprised QB wasn't on there. Something's going wrong there if they can't even give a straight answer to this problem quickly for all of us concerned about it.

Implementation plans to get ready to leave QB and migrate out as quickly as possible! 

Thanks, Tom

Thanks Tom.

Yes - it's amazing how much persistence is needed to get a straight and clear answer from QB staff!

Quite shocking really given that the company deal with our financial and banking information - they should be more transparent and less evasive with customers questions. I think they must know the importance of the issue (as an accounting software company, how can they not!) But are basically wanting to use this to push customers into using their more expensive platforms.

Like you, I am also now trying the alternatives.

As you say - other company's have already made their software ready for MTD - Sage also offers a FREE Self-employed version of their software with slight limitations (already compatible with MTD) or the full version at a cheaper price that QBSE. (free/cheap trial periods also available).

Last year, QBSE also removed the 'work form home' button in the App - for users who work from home, this saved up to £300 per year in taxes - I was in conversation with support for 6 months with promised that it would be resolved, but it never was & then they just stopped responding to emails. QBSE users who work from home will now have their tax calculated £300 per year higher as a result of this.

This tax year (2025-2026) the app is calculating tax even though the tax threshold has not yet been reached -  customer support are trying to tell me that this is an estimate and is how the app should work, but it didn't in previous years - also the calculation makes no sense and doesn't appear to relate to any real-world tax calculation. 

In all, Quick Books / Intuit see to have a lack of care, consideration or respect for their customers - very poor customer service, largely based on cut & paste replies and evasion of direct answers to direct questions.

Not much integrity from an organisation that holds peoples financial and banking information!

Thanks JSSE - Thanks, and for the additional info about the WFH tax issue. I think QB's taken their eye off the ball for something critical like this, it was only chance I looked up the HMRC site for compatible MTD software and then saw that QB wasn't on there. Then I searched further and came across your query and unhelpful replies. I doubt this will even be escalated up for someone to realise this is a big issue. Yes time to find other software as soon as possible and say goodbye.