NJ Child-Only TANF Grant — WorkFirst NJ Cash Assistance for Relative Caregivers

What a Child-Only Grant Actually Means

When a grandparent, aunt, uncle, or older sibling applies for WorkFirst NJ cash assistance on behalf of a child — and no parent lives in the home — the state classifies the case as a "non-needy caretaker" child-only grant. The word "non-needy" refers to the adult, not the child. It means the state doesn't look at the caregiver's income at all.

This is the single most important rule for kinship caregivers in New Jersey: your pension, Social Security, wages, or savings do not count. The eligibility calculation uses only the child's own income, which for most children is zero.

How Much the Grant Pays

WorkFirst NJ sets payment levels under N.J.A.C. 10:90-3.3. For child-only cases with no countable child income, the maximum monthly amounts are:

• 1 child: $214
• 2 children: $425
• 3 children: $559
• 4 children: $683
• Each additional child: roughly $66 more

These are modest amounts, but they arrive every month and stack with other benefits like NJ SNAP and NJ FamilyCare. Unlike adult-included TANF, child-only grants have no 60-month lifetime limit and no work requirement for the caregiver.

Who Qualifies as a Non-Needy Caretaker

You qualify if you're a relative by blood, marriage, adoption, or civil union — or a court-appointed legal guardian — and you've assumed parental responsibility for a child whose parents aren't in the household. Adult older siblings (18+) raising a younger sibling also qualify.

Unrelated family friends generally don't qualify for child-only status unless they have a court order granting legal custody or guardianship.

What You Need to Apply

Bring these to your County Social Services Agency or upload them through MyNJHelps.gov:

• Child's birth certificate or passport (proves age and identity)
• Child's Social Security card or proof of a pending SS-5 application
• Proof the child lives with you — school enrollment records, a landlord letter, or medical records showing your address
• Proof of your relationship — birth certificates linking generations, marriage certificates, or a court custody order
• Proof of citizenship or qualified immigration status for the child (the caregiver's own status doesn't need to be disclosed on a child-only application)

Child Support Cooperation

Applying for TANF requires cooperating with the state's child support enforcement unit to pursue support from the absent parent. If support is collected, the first $100 per month ($200 for two or more children) passes through directly to you without reducing the grant.

If cooperating would put you or the child at risk — domestic violence, for example — you can file a Good Cause claim. Provide a sworn statement and any supporting documents (police reports, protective orders, letters from counselors), and the county's Good Cause Committee will review it. If approved, enforcement is suspended and your grant stays intact.

The Application Timeline

The county must process a standard WFNJ application within 30 calendar days. WFNJ immediate-need cases are evaluated the same day. Emergency Assistance for back rent, shelter, security deposits, or utility arrears has separate eligibility rules.

A common mistake: county caseworkers sometimes ask for the grandparent's pay stubs or bank statements on a child-only application. Under the non-needy caretaker rules, that information isn't required. If this happens, you can point to N.J.A.C. 10:90-2.7(a) and ask a supervisor to review the case.

The New Jersey Kinship Financial Help Guide includes a step-by-step application walkthrough, a document checklist you can print before your county office visit, and a tracking log for every form you submit.

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