Evidence of a falling population is laid bare in the latest Isle of Man in Numbers report.

The report, issued by the Cabinet Office’s economic affairs unit, is the most comprehensive statistical publication available relating to the island - and once again makes for interesting reading.

It covers a diverse range of economic, social and environmental information, incorporating the most recent data.

As revealed in the latest census, the island’s population fell between 2011 and 2016, from 85,716 to 84,599 - and the downtrend of the graph is in sharp contrast to the one that appeared in last year’s Isle of Man in Numbers report.

But it is not the only dramatic contrast to last year.

The number of passports issued has fallen sharply from 9,378 in 2015 to 8,593 last year.

work permits

However, the number of new work permits issued increased from 1,777 in 2015 to 1,958. There were 1,227 renewals last year, down from 1,938 in 2015)

Immigration applications also increased, 843 in 2015 to 1,062 in 2016, including 586 new applications (there were 497 in 2015).

Another graph showing a downward trend is that for child benefit with 7,853 families in receipt in 2016 for 11,920 children, compared to 8,470 families or 14,315 children in 2015.

Evidence of the population drop is revealed in the numbers registered with a GP, down from 87,026 in 2015 to 86,962 last year.

Figures for school rolls also provide evidence of a changing demographic.

The total school population at the beginning of the autumn term in 2016 was 11,636, of which 2,743 were infants, 3,647 were junior school age, 4,239 of secondary school age and 1,007 in further education.

In 2015 the total school population was 11,697, of which 2,850 were infants, 3,532 were junior school age, 4,290 of secondary school age and 1,025 in further education.

grants

In 2015/16, there were 1,308 people in receipt of grants relating to courses for a degree or Higher National Diploma. But the figures were down in 2016/17, with 1,259 people in receipt of grants for degree or HND courses.

Average weekly earnings have risen from £672 in 2015 to £685 last year.

The report also shows the pressures on the welfare bill.

At the end of March 2015, there were 18,991 people claiming the retirement pension, with 13,822 in receipt of the pension supplement. By the same time last year, those figures had risen to 19,361 and 14,243 respectively.

But the number of claimants for many benefits has come down.

For example, there were 797 people claiming short term incapacity benefit in March last year, along with 1,537 claiming long term incapacity benefit.

In March the previous year there were 891 people claiming short term incapacity benefit, along with 1,654 claiming long term incapacity benefit.

Life expectancy for men in the island is 83.2 years and 86 for women, compared with 83.4 for men and 85.9 for women in the UK.