Stuart Miller (Xero): MTD, AI, Policy and Financial Literacy for Bookkeepers

In this Leadership Takeover Session, Stuart Miller, Director of Public Policy and Technology Research at Xero, shares what’s really happening behind the scenes with MTD, AI and financial literacy – and what it all means for UK bookkeepers. If you’ve ever wondered who sits in the rooms with government, regulators and tech companies speaking up for small businesses and their advisers, this episode joins those dots.

Stuart didn’t set out to be an accountant. He fell into practice to avoid paying rent to his parents, trained through AAT, and built his career in firms where tattoos, shaved heads and “not fitting the mould” were still frowned upon. He talks about the managers who backed him, the crying client whose tax-return anxiety helped him find his purpose, and the R&D projects where better tax advice funded real-world change – like extracting myrrh oil to support schools in Africa.

Today, his role at Xero spans smart data, late payments, e-invoicing, unique business identifiers, AI policy and MTD. He explains what his week actually looks like: responding to consultations, sitting on smart data groups, meeting departments like Business and Trade, and feeding the voice of accountants and bookkeepers into policy.

Find out about the benefits of becoming a Xero Partner, here: https://www.xero.com/uk/partner-programme/?UTM_Source=6fb

For bookkeepers facing change, Stuart shares practical advice: don’t try to “solve MTD” all at once. Segment your client base, start with those already on software and VAT-registered, review the clients who are always late with records, and be willing to let go of the ones who will make quarterly reporting unmanageable. He is emphatic that bookkeepers must stop undervaluing themselves – your work underpins quarterly updates, pricing, and the ongoing conversations clients will need to stay compliant and confident.

The conversation also tackles AI without the hype. Stuart sees AI as an efficiency driver, not a replacement for bookkeepers. He talks about using AI to speed up reconciliation, summarise long email newsletters and surface insights, while the real value sits in the 20% of work that is deeply human: handling ambiguity, context and emotion. He predicts that “my AI said…” will become the new “my mate down the pub said…”, and bookkeepers will be the trusted professionals who can correct, explain and guide.

A big theme is financial literacy and social mobility. Stuart is passionate about closing the gap for people who were never taught about interest rates, APR or cash flow at home or at school. He talks about Xero’s financial literacy campaign, which offers bite-size guidance and mentoring for people from disadvantaged backgrounds or those starting a business with no financial training. Crucially, it’s open to everyone, not just software users, and supported by accountants and bookkeepers who volunteer their time to help.

Looking ahead, Stuart wants to see accountancy and bookkeeping treated as a STEM route, financial education embedded into the curriculum, and a profession where you don’t need a degree or a certain background to thrive – just curiosity, care and willingness to learn.

If you are a UK bookkeeper navigating MTD, curious (or nervous) about AI, and passionate about helping clients understand their numbers, this conversation will help you see the bigger picture, claim your value and understand how people like Stuart are working to amplify your voice at policy level.

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About us
We're Jo and Zoe and we help bookkeepers find clients, make more money and build profitable businesses they love. Find out about working with us in The Bookkeepers' Collective, at: 6figurebookkeeper.com/collective
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About our Sponsor
This episode of The Bookkeepers' Podcast is sponsored by Xero. Get 90% off your first 6 months by visiting: https://xero5440.partnerlinks.io/6figurebookkeeper
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