Economic Affairs Division

The Economic Affairs Division of the Cabinet Office provides economic advice and statistical analysis to all parts of Government and acts as the principal collator and publisher of Government statistics.

Economic Affairs is responsible for the production of a wide range of statistics, including:

• Inflation (CPI, RPI and RPIJ)

The monthly inflation reports provide information on the change in the cost of living on the Island, measured by a number of different indices which can be compared internationally. There is also information regarding the current month’s rate of inflation, the methodology and basis of calculation and historic inflation data.

• Labour Market (Unemployment)

The monthly Labour Market report provides information on the current level of unemployment on the Island, measured by both the claimant count and an estimation of the ILO defined level of unemployment. Information is also provided on the number of job vacancies during and at the end of the month. The report also includes detailed information on unemployment and vacancies by economic sector.

• Passenger Survey

Information regarding the number and type of passengers travelling from the Island is available in both a detailed annual report, which includes information on passengers by type of traveller, method of travel (air or sea) and average expenditure. 

Quarterly Passenger Survey data is also included within the Quarterly Economic Report to the Council of Ministers as part of the Economic Indicators.

• Earnings Survey

The Earnings Survey is carried out annually by the division and collects information on the gross earnings of individuals and the hours which they work. This information is collected in relation to those in full time, part time or zero hours employment, and is broken down by economic sector, gender and by public or private sector. 

• Isle of Man in Numbers

The Isle of Man in Numbers, previously known as the Digest of Economic and Social Statistics, is compiled by Economic Affairs from both its own data and from across Government departments. The publication focuses on 4 main areas of data; Our Economy, Government Income and Expenditure, Our Society, Culture and Tourism and the Environment and Infrastructure.

Within this sections is data relating to the Island’s economy, health, education, crime, population, employment and other areas of public interest. The latest release of the Isle of Man in Numbers is available from the Downloadable Documents section.

• National Income (GDP and GNP)

The National Income report measures the size of the Isle of Man economy, the contribution of each sector and the economy’s performance over time. 

• Social Attitudes Survey

The Social Attitudes Survey was restarted in 2016 after having been last undertaken in 2002 as a Quality of Life survey. The survey provides information on the opinions of respondents to a wide range of public issues, including trust and confidence in Government, perceptions of safety and wellbeing, how households are coping financially and mental health, amongst a wide range of subjects.

Since 2017 the results of Social Attitudes Survey have been used to monitor the performance of the Programme for Government 2016-2021. The latest report is available from the Downloadable Documents section.

• Census and Population

Economic Affairs is responsible for undertaking and producing the results of the Island’s census. The Island has undertaken a regular 10 year census since 1929 and introduced an interim census at the five year interval in 1966.

The census provides detailed information about the population of the Island, including the general population, the economically active and employed population and households on the Island.

The latest census results from 2016, along with a number of historic reports can be found here.

The division is also responsible for the production of a number of other surveys and datasets, including the Household Income and Expenditure surveys, the Housing Marking Report, and the compilation of the Quarterly Economic Report to the Council of Ministers. These additional publications and reports are either available from the Downloadable Documents section, and the Quarterly Economic Report to the Council of Ministers can be found.

The division also carries out various additional analysis and surveys at the request of other Government departments, boards and other public bodies.

The data within many of the reports and publications that Economic Affairs is responsible for are also available in Open Data format and can be accessed from the Open Data page. The division is also committed to providing as much information to the public as possible and, where possible and reasonable, will provide additional analysis upon request of any of our current reports and publications.

Additional data requests should be addressed to: