Illinois TANF Child-Only Grant for Grandparents: Amounts, Rules, How to Apply

How the TANF Child-Only Grant Works in Illinois

Most grandparents raising a grandchild assume they make too much money to qualify for cash assistance. In Illinois, that assumption is wrong — because child-only TANF doesn't look at your income at all.

Under IDHS Policy Manual section PM 04-01-05-c, when a non-parent relative (grandparent, aunt, uncle, adult sibling, or anyone within the 5th degree of kinship) cares for a child, the caregiver's income and assets are completely excluded from the grant calculation. Your pension, Social Security, wages, savings — none of it matters. The grant is based solely on income in the child's own name.

Current Payment Amounts

Illinois standardized TANF payments statewide — no more regional payment zones. Child-only grants are set at 75% of the full adult-and-child payment level.

For FY 2027 (October 2026 through September 2027, under Manual Release MR #26.25):

• 1 child: $350/month
• 2 children: $473/month
• 3 children: $598/month
• 4 children: $722/month
• 5 children: $846/month
• Each additional child adds about $125/month

These amounts apply regardless of where you live in Illinois — Cook County, downstate, everywhere.

What Counts as Income (and What Doesn't)

Only income received directly in the child's name counts against the grant:

• Social Security survivor or disability benefits paid to the child
• Court-ordered child support received for the child
• Any direct personal income the child receives

Your retirement pension, Social Security retirement benefits, earned wages, investment income, and liquid assets are 100% excluded. This is what makes child-only TANF different from regular TANF.

Who Qualifies as a Caretaker Relative

Illinois law (305 ILCS 5) recognizes relatives through the 5th degree of kinship:

• Grandparents, great-grandparents, great-great-grandparents, great-great-great-grandparents
• Aunts, uncles, great-aunts, great-uncles, great-great-aunts, great-great-uncles
• Siblings, nieces, nephews, first cousins, first cousins once removed
• Step-parents, step-siblings, and spouses of relatives within the 5th degree retain qualified kinship status if the marriage ends by death or divorce; civil union partners recognized under Illinois law share the same kinship degree as spouses

You don't need legal guardianship to apply. Informal caregivers — grandparents with no court papers but physical custody of the child — qualify for child-only TANF with documentation showing the child lives with you.

No Work Requirements, No Time Limit

As a non-needy caretaker relative on a child-only case, you are exempt from:

• Federal and state TANF work participation requirements
• The Responsibility and Services Plan (RSP)
• The 60-month federal lifetime benefit limit

The 60-month clock only applies to adults receiving TANF for their own benefit. Child-only grants can continue as long as the child is eligible.

How to Apply

File at abe.illinois.gov (the Application for Benefits Eligibility portal) or at your local Family Community Resource Center. You can also apply by phone at 1-800-843-6154 or by mailing Form IL444-2378B.

File immediately, even without all documents — the filing date sets your benefit start date. IDHS must process your application within 45 calendar days.

The Illinois kinship financial help guide includes a document verification tracker for exactly what to bring and a worksheet to estimate your child-only grant amount before you apply.

See more Illinois guides →