NET migration to Taunton Deane has dropped since Brexit, official figures show.

The Office for National Statistics estimates that from July 2015 to June 2016, the month of the EU referendum, 320 more long-term migrants arrived from abroad in Taunton Deane than left.

However in the 12 months after Brexit that figure dropped by 126.

In total, 561 people moved to Taunton Deane from abroad and 367 left, leaving the latest net migration figure at 194.

That means Taunton Deane’s migrant population is still rising, but at a slower rate than before the referendum.

While the Taunton Deane figures do not give details of where migrants came from, the latest national figures, for 2017-18, show EU migration is at its lowest level since 2012.

In West Somerset, the ONS estimates that from July 2015 to June 2016, 51 more long-term migrants arrived from abroad in West Somerset than left.

In the 12 months after Brexit that figure dropped by 14.

In total, 138 people moved to West Somerset from abroad and 101 left, leaving the latest net migration figure at 37.

That means West Somerset’s migrant population is still rising, but at a slower rate than before the referendum. Fewer people are emigrating to West Somerset from abroad, while more are moving away.

Madeleine Sumption, director of the Migration Observatory at the University of Oxford said: “The UK has clearly become a less attractive country for EU migrants since the referendum.

“The lower value of the pound means that workers coming here for higher wages are getting less than they were in the past, and economic conditions in many of the key EU countries of origin have improved a lot over the past few years.

“Uncertainty about the implications of Brexit may have played a role.”

Nicola Rogers, of the ONS’ Centre for Migration, said: "Today's figures show that around 270,000 more people are coming to the UK than leaving, so net migration is continuing to add to the UK population.

"Net migration has been broadly stable since peak levels seen in 2015 and 2016.”

It is still well above the Government’s net migration target of 100,000.

Non-EU net migration to the UK is now almost three times higher than from the EU, the ONS says.

Across the entire county, ONS estimates from July 2015 to June 2016, the month of the EU referendum, 1,187 more long-term migrants arrived from abroad in Somerset than left.

However in the 12 months after Brexit that figure dropped by 440.

In total, 2,357 people moved to Somerset from abroad and 1,610 left, leaving the latest net migration figure at 747.

That means Somerset’s migrant population is also still rising, but at a slower rate than before the referendum.

Fewer people are emigrating to Somerset from abroad, while more are moving away.

While the Somerset figures do not give details of where migrants came from, the latest national figures, for 2017-18, show EU migration is at its lowest level since 2012.

The figures also give details about GP registrations by migrants. From July 2015 to June 2016, 3,824 Somerset patients registered, compared with 3,590 patients in the 12 months after.