Pennsylvania Child-Only TANF for Grandparents: How to Apply and What You'll Get
A grandparent in Philadelphia with a $3,500/month pension can qualify for Child-Only TANF for a grandchild. So can an aunt earning $80,000 a year. That sounds wrong until you understand how Child-Only TANF works in Pennsylvania: the caregiver's income is completely excluded from the eligibility calculation. Only the child's own income matters — and most children have none.
How Child-Only TANF Works
When a relative caregiver applies for TANF solely on behalf of a child, the County Assistance Office (CAO) classifies you as a "non-needy caretaker relative." Under 55 Pa. Code § 141.41, this means:
- Your income doesn't count. Wages, pension, Social Security, disability, retirement savings — all excluded.
- Your assets don't count. Homeownership, vehicles, bank accounts — irrelevant.
- Only the child's income matters. That means Social Security survivor benefits, direct child support paid to the child, or any other income in the child's name. Most children have zero countable income.
The grant goes to you as the caregiver, but it's calculated based solely on the child's financial picture.
Who Counts as a "Specified Relative"
Not every caregiver qualifies. TANF requires you to be a "specified relative" — blood or adoptive relatives within the fifth degree of kinship. That covers:
- Grandparents, great-grandparents, and more remote great-grandparents within the fifth degree (through great-great-great-grandparents)
- Aunts and uncles
- Siblings (including half-siblings)
- Nieces and nephews
- First cousins and first cousins once removed
- Stepparents and step-siblings
- Spouses of any of the above
Family friends, godparents, and unrelated caregivers cannot receive Child-Only TANF, even if they have the child living with them. The child welfare system uses a broader "fictive kin" definition, but TANF doesn't recognize it.
Monthly Grant Amounts
Pennsylvania divides its 67 counties into four Family Size Allowance (FSA) groups. The monthly grant depends on your county and how many children are in the budget group:
| County Group | 1 Child | 2 Children | 3 Children | Each Additional |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Group 1 (Bucks, Chester, Montgomery, Lancaster, Pike) | $215 | $330 | $421 | +$83 |
| Group 2 (Philadelphia, Allegheny, Erie, Lehigh, York) | $205 | $316 | $403 | +$83 |
| Group 3 (Beaver, Mercer, Tioga, Venango) | $195 | $305 | $393 | +$83 |
| Group 4 (Cambria, Fayette, Schuylkill, Somerset) | $174 | $279 | $365 | +$83 |
If the child receives countable income (like $100/month in child support), the grant is reduced dollar-for-dollar. A grandmother in Philadelphia raising two grandchildren with no income of their own would receive $316/month.
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No Time Limit, No Work Requirement
Two features that separate Child-Only TANF from regular adult TANF:
No 60-month lifetime limit. The federal five-year cap applies to adults receiving TANF for themselves. Child-Only grants don't count against anyone's clock — not yours, and not the child's future eligibility as an adult.
No RESET work requirement. You don't need to participate in the Road to Economic Self-Sufficiency through Employment and Training (RESET) program. No job search activities, no Agreement of Mutual Responsibility, no weekly hour logs.
You do need to report changes — if the child leaves your home, if the child starts receiving income, or if your address changes — within 10 days.
How to Apply
- Go to COMPASS (compass.state.pa.us) or visit your local County Assistance Office in person.
- File Form PA 600 — this single application covers TANF, SNAP, and Medical Assistance. Specify that you're applying as a non-needy caretaker relative for child-only assistance.
- Bring your documents: your photo ID, the child's birth certificate (or alternative identity proof), proof of kinship relationship (birth certificates linking you through the family tree — or a written statement under 55 Pa. Code § 127.21), and proof of Pennsylvania residence.
- The CAO must process your application within 30 days.
The Child Support Cooperation Requirement
There's one obligation that catches people off guard. Applying for TANF requires you to cooperate with the local Domestic Relations Section to identify the absent parent, establish paternity if needed, and enforce child support.
If cooperating with child support enforcement would put the child or you at risk — because of domestic violence, abuse history, or situations where the child was conceived through rape or incest — you can file a Good Cause waiver using Form PA 1747. When approved, DHS suspends all enforcement referrals while keeping the child's full TANF grant intact. More on this in our Good Cause waiver guide.
What Else to Apply For
Child-Only TANF is usually the first application to file, but it's one piece of a larger benefits picture. The same COMPASS application can include SNAP and Medical Assistance. If you're 55 or older, the Caregiver Support Program through your Area Agency on Aging adds up to $600/month in reimbursement.
The Pennsylvania Kinship Financial Help Guide covers every program, with the full verification checklist and worked examples showing exactly how your grant is calculated.
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Download the Pennsylvania Kinship Benefits Checklist — a printable guide with checklists, scripts, and action plans you can start using today.