I'm just catching up with new UWP apps from last week. File this one very definitely under 'work in progress', since it's currently not much more (and arguably less) than the HMRC mobile-friendly web site. But it's good to see such a high profile UK government institution getting a UWP application in the Windows 10 Store. And HMRC does talk about 'working on improving' things, so watch this app for updates.

Right now it just confirms a few details and gives your PAYE code and tax estimate, but there's more to come here in 2017, of that I'm sure.

From the Store description:

Welcome to the new HMRC mobile app. It’s just the start of a great new product that will give you instant and secure access to your HMRC account whenever you need it. We’re regularly adding new features, but you can already use this app to:

• Check your next tax credits payment date
• View your personal tax account
• Track forms you’ve sent to HMRC
• Read messages and latest news from HMRC online.

You’ll need an HMRC account to log in - you can set one up in the app if you don’t already have one.

We’re working on improving the app's tax calculator, so we’ve temporarily removed it. Once it’s finished we’ll put it back, but until then you can still access it by visiting www.gov.uk/hmrc and searching 'calculator'. If you'd like to use a service that's not yet available on the app, you can do this at www.gov.uk/hmrc

Here's a brief walkthrough (not that there's that much to see!):

Logging into the HMRC application and web-based gateway - for obvious reasons, two factor authentication is enforced from the outset (it's set up with a couple of letters when you first apply for a user ID in the UK), so it's very secure. In fact, it's even more secure than you might think, since there's also a device-specific PIN that you create the first time you run the app on any particular phone.

As you may know, I'm self-employed, which is why the screenshot above left has no figure on it, but presumably it would be populated if I was a regular employee; (right) the Settings page is barebones, with just one web-based thing to change. But hey, it's a good start.

Scrolling around the panes of information (such as they are) in the app, it's very evident that this is mobile web HTML5 content being rendered within the UWP app. And there's nothing wrong with that, intrinsically, as long as the app maintains the benefits of being its own application, i.e. keeping you logged in. And, one day, interacting with other applications and even notifying you of things, e.g. time to pay your tax bill or (electronically) file your return.

You can grab the HMRC UWP app here in the Store. Let's hope it continues to improve.