You’ll be a happy camper at Castle Archdale

Our roving reporter joins the caravan crew at Castle Archdale rain! We chose to stay in a static van which had plenty of space for the little ones and everything we need for them.

If you have ever considered camping, caravanning or glamping then look no further than Castle Archdale in Fermanagh. Located on the shores of Lough Erne this wonderful site is the perfect place to have a family holiday.

For many families, it can be more than the monthly mortgage or rent. However, most working parents are entitled to financial support towards registered childcare costs, even though many do not realise this.

Tax-Free Childcare is one of the forms of support available to help pay for registered childcare. While uptake of the scheme has previously been low in Northern Ireland, this is now growing and over the last year 30% more families have benefited from using Tax-Free Childcare. While a positive development, there are many more families who are still missing out on support they could be entitled to. Often, parents assume they are not entitled to financial support because they think their household earnings are too high, however this is usually not the case.

What is Tax-Free Childcare?

The Tax-Free Childcare scheme is open to parents of children under the age of 12 (or age 17 for children with disabilities) allowing eligible working families to claim 20% of their registered childcare costs, up to £2,000 per child per year, or £4,000 for a child with

To claim Tax-Free Childcare, both parents need to be in employment (or one person in a single parent household), earning between £167 per week (equivalent to 16 hours working at the National Living Wage) and £100,000 per year each. So, for example, a household where each parent is earning £95,000 (combined income of £190,000) would be eligible for support.

Tax-Free Childcare is also available to selfemployed parents (where eligible). Households where one parent is working, and the other parent is in receipt of Carer’s Allowance or certain disability benefits can also qualify.

Unlike some other forms of support the amount of savings a household has is not taken into account when determining if a parent is eligible for Tax-Free Childcare.

Further information

As well as Tax-Free Childcare, there are other schemes which provide support with registered childcare costs (Universal Credit, Childcare Vouchers and Tax Credits), which may be better for some families. Our team can help parents work out what form of financial support is best for them. If you would like further advice on help with childcare costs contact our Family Benefits Advice Service for free, impartial and confidential advice. Freephone 0800 028 3008 or email hello@employersforchildcare.org – we are here to help.

With fully serviced static and touring caravan sites: camp sites, playgrounds, water sports, shop, and acres of space to explore with your family and pets you will find no place better in Northern Ireland.

I recently embarked on my inaugural stay in a caravan in Castle Archdale and it was fabulous.

I have always been somewhat apprehensive about this type of holiday but I needn’t have been because it was a wonderful experience from start to finsih despite the torrential

We had three bedrooms, which were all beautifully decorated, and two toilets, a fully equipped kitchen and large living area.

On arrival, we unpacked our things and ventured out to explore the site.

The office is situated in the middle which is great for any enquiries that you may have.

Directly opposite that is the playground and restaurant/bar.

The kids played in the park while my other half and I enjoyed a drink at the nearby picnic tables.

It was wonderful to see so many families out enjoying their time together while obviously meeting up with old friends who they had previously forged friendships within Castle Archdale.

There are so many things to do in Castle Archdale without even having to leave the site.

There are walking trails, cycling trails, boat trips, golf, angling, water sports and best of all the little Squirrel’s Club filled which has a list of activities and events for the littlest ones in your group. For more information or to book your stay check out their website www. castlearchdale.com