Delaware TANF Payment Amounts and Income Limits for Kinship Caregivers

How Much Does Delaware TANF Actually Pay?

When you are raising a grandchild or relative's child and trying to stretch a fixed income, knowing the exact dollar amount matters. Delaware's TANF program — specifically the child-only track for non-parent relative caregivers — pays monthly amounts based on the number of children in the assistance unit.

Here are the current payment standards for the October 2026 through September 2027 schedule:

• 1 child: $241 per month
• 2 children: $324 per month
• 3 children: $405 per month
• 4 children: $488 per month

For budget groups of five through ten, the schedule lists monthly payment amounts of $570, $652, $734, $817, $900, and $982, respectively. These are maximum amounts before countable income and other eligibility rules are applied.

How the Standard of Need Works

Delaware calculates TANF eligibility using a "Standard of Need" set at 75% of the Federal Poverty Level. The child's gross monthly income must not exceed 185% of this standard, and a separate net-income test also applies. A child with no countable income will generally pass the income tests, but must still meet the other TANF eligibility rules.

The actual grant is calculated using a "Fill-the-Gap" budgeting model, not by subtracting every dollar of a child's income from the payment standard. Delaware applies gross- and net-income tests, then calculates the grant using the Standard of Need and caps it at the payment standard. For a one-child applicant with $80 per month in countable survivor benefits and no other income, the 50% calculation yields more than the $241 payment standard, so the grant remains $241.

Why Your Income Doesn't Matter

This is the single most important rule for kinship caregivers: when you apply for a child-only TANF grant as a non-needy caretaker, your income is excluded from the eligibility calculation. Your Social Security retirement, SSDI, pension, wages, and personal assets are not counted. The child's countable income and resources are used for the financial tests, while relationship, residence, and other program rules also apply.

This means a grandparent receiving $2,500 per month in Social Security retirement can qualify for the full $241 child-only TANF grant for one grandchild. The two income streams are treated as separate units.

What Child-Only TANF Does Not Require

Non-needy relative caretakers on the child-only track are exempt from:

• Work participation rules — you do not need to be employed, looking for work, or in job training
• The federal 60-month or state 36-month time limit — child-only grants are not time-limited in the way adult TANF grants are
• Adult self-sufficiency mandates — no workfare or mandatory job search

You do sign a non-work Contract of Mutual Responsibility (CMR) focused on the child's well-being. Requirements include satisfactory school attendance, current immunizations, parenting education, and family-planning information. If a child under 16 does not attend school satisfactorily and the TANF adult fails to work with the school or other service providers to address it, the initial sanction is a $50 benefit reduction, increasing by $50 each month until compliance or case closure.

How to Apply

Apply through the ASSIST portal (assist.dhss.delaware.gov) or in person at any of Delaware's 19 State Service Centers. You can apply for TANF, SNAP, Medicaid, and childcare subsidies in a single submission.

When filling out the application, make sure you are processed under the non-needy caretaker rules. The application should establish you as the caretaker but not include your income in the TANF calculation. If the system or caseworker asks for your income documentation for the TANF portion, clarify that you are applying for a child-only grant and that your income should be excluded.

For a new TANF assistance unit, cash assistance begins when eligibility factors have been reviewed and verified and the payee has signed the application. Waiting to submit the application can delay that effective date.

One Required Trade-Off: Child Support Assignment

To receive TANF child-only cash, you must assign the child's support rights to the State of Delaware and cooperate with the Division of Child Support Services to establish paternity and pursue support from the biological parents.

If cooperating with child support would put the child or you in danger — because of domestic violence, abuse, or other safety concerns — you can request a Good-Cause Exemption through your DSS caseworker. Recognized grounds include a history of violence or abuse by the parent, pending adoption proceedings, or a child conceived through assault.

The Delaware Kinship Financial Help Guide covers the full TANF application process, documents needed, how child support assignment works, and what to do if your application is denied — including how to file a fair hearing appeal.

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