The Isle of Man Government has indicated backing for a further range of financial packages aimed at making it easier to raise a family on the island.

Following a report by the Tynwald Select Committee on population rebalancing, the Treasury has committed to keeping maternity, adoption and paternity allowances under review, as well as an assessment of the eligibility criteria to ensure that these measures correspond to the delivery of the economic strategy.

The Isle of Man Government has proposed the following measures for consideration: extending the pre-school credit scheme to start from age one (it is currently only available for children in the year prior to formal primary education), establishing child benefit at the same financial rate as the first child (for second and subsequent children) and introducing best start child milestone payments to families at key stages of a child’s development.

The Treasury will consider these proposals following the Tynwald resolutions and report to the Council of Ministers for final approval before they are introduced.

Efforts to enhance the island’s attractiveness to young people and as a great place to raise a family are already underway as part of the Island Plan. With a bill introduced to the House of Keys to bring in shared parental leave and the right to time off for partners for antenatal appointments, changes to employment law are already underway.

Minister for the Cabinet Office, Kate Lord-Brennan MHK, said: ‘The island is a wonderful, nurturing and safe place to bring up children, but there are indications that steps need to be made to make the prospect of raising a family on the island easier. That is why the Council of Ministers has supported a number of key proposals at the June Tynwald sitting.’

What prompted the Isle of Man Government to propose these new measures were the three key areas of population imbalance that were identified: the island’s birth rate dropping by 35% between 2010 and 2020, a high proportion of 18 to 25 year olds leaving the island and the number of residents aged 55 or over increasing.

Chair of the Select Committee, Dr. Michelle Haywood MHK, said: ‘The island is often appreciated as a remarkably safe environment for children to grow up in. We realised that for many people contemplating starting or expanding their family, their economic challenges were considerable. These changes hopefully show that the Government is intent on creating a remarkably supportive environment for young families.’