The number of people out of work in the Isle of Man rose last month.

According to statistics released by the government today, there were 26 more unemployed people in the island at the end of January than at the end of December.

The official number was 361.

But the more significant statistic is the drop in the number out of work over the past 12 months, which was 240.

Between the end of December and the end of January, 160 people signed on to the unemployment register, while 134 signed off.

The bare numbers might not tell the whole story.

They don’t reflect how many people have left the island or those who have retired, which could skew the figures especially now that the ’baby boomers’ are leaving work.

The government’s unemployment rate is 0.8%. Under its definition, the unemployment rate is the proportion of the ’economically active’ population registered as unemployed.

Under the International Labour Organisation’s criteria, it is estimated that in fact 806 people looking for work. And that equates to an unemployment rate of 1.9%.

In comparison, the UK’s rate is 4.3% - a record low for that country.

The number of vacancies at the job centre in the island has risen.

During the month, 813 jobs were notified. At the end of the month, 514 remained.

There were 84 jobs under the catering and entertainment section, 68 health sector jobs, 51 in education and training, 51 in retail distribution, 34 in tourist accommodation and 16 in public administration.

There were 35 skilled construction workers looking for jobs, 33 from the retail distribution sector, 26 from business catering, 27 from catering and entertainment and 18 from the health sector.

In January 2014, there were 1,182 out of work in the Isle of Man.