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Last updated: 15 September 2026
Grandparents raising grandchildren in North Carolina may be able to get financial help and benefits for cash needs, food, health care, child care, housing, utilities, and other household costs. The strongest route depends on whether the child is living with you privately or was placed with you through a county child welfare case.
This guide focuses on financial benefits and payments. See our grandfamily benefits guide for national help.
Bottom Line
Financial help can come from several separate programs. Start with your county Department of Social Services (DSS). Ask about a child-only Work First cash case, Food and Nutrition Services, Medicaid, and child-care help. If DSS or a court placed the child with you, also ask the child welfare worker about unlicensed kinship payments, foster-home licensing, and later permanency assistance such as KinGAP. These programs have different rules, and one does not automatically replace another.
Need Financial Help Right Now?
If you lack food, face a utility shutoff or eviction, or need urgent local help, contact your county DSS office. You can also dial 2-1-1 for local food, housing, transportation, and emergency resources. If a child is in immediate danger, call 911.
Start Here: Three Financial-Benefit Actions
- Ask DSS for a child-only Work First screening. Tell the worker you are a grandparent or relative raising the child and ask whether the grandparent can stay outside the assistance unit.
- Apply for food and health benefits. Use ePASS or county DSS to screen for Food and Nutrition Services and Medicaid. Our North Carolina ePASS guide explains the portal.
- If child welfare placed the child with you, ask about payments before changing the legal arrangement. Ask whether you qualify for the unlicensed kinship payment, what licensing would change, and whether a future guardianship could qualify for KinGAP.
Quick Reference: Financial Help and Benefits
| Help type | What it can pay for | Key eligibility issue | Where to start |
|---|---|---|---|
| Work First child-only cash | Basic household needs | Child, kinship, living arrangement, and program rules | County DSS or ePASS |
| Kinship or foster-care payment | Day-to-day cost of a child in county custody | County custody, court-approved placement, and licensing status | Child welfare worker |
| Food and Nutrition Services | Eligible groceries through EBT | Food household, income, and other FNS rules | ePASS or DSS |
| Medicaid | Covered medical care for an eligible child | Child’s eligibility category and household rules | ePASS, DSS, or NC Medicaid |
| Child-care subsidy | Part of approved child-care costs | Work, school, child welfare, legal authority, income, and local funding | County child-care contact |
| Emergency and energy help | Housing, heating, cooling, or crisis costs | Income, crisis, season, county rules, and available funds | County DSS |
A grandparent can qualify for some help because a child is in the home, while other help depends on the grandparent’s own income, age, disability, or household circumstances.
What Has Changed
This update puts financial help and benefits first and rechecks Work First cash, kinship payments, foster-care rates, KinGAP, and child-care help. It now separates private care from county-custody placements because that difference can change monthly payments.
Cash Assistance: Work First Child-Only TANF
North Carolina calls its Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program Work First. A qualifying grandparent or relative may apply for a child-only case. The child receives the cash assistance; the grandparent may remain outside the assistance unit.
The current Work First payment table lists a maximum of $181 a month for an assistance unit of one and $236 for two. Larger assistance units have higher listed maximums. These are maximum allotments, not guaranteed payments. County DSS checks kinship, living arrangement, income and other case facts.
Legal custody is not always required to ask for child-only Work First. North Carolina’s kinship guidance says a caregiver can apply without custody if the state’s kin-caregiver rules are met. Bring proof of kinship and that the child lives with you.
Helpful tip: Say “I want to be screened for a child-only Work First case for my grandchild.” That is clearer than asking generally for “grandparent money.”
Kinship Care Payments and Foster-Care Money
The biggest payment difference is whether the child is simply living with you by family agreement or is in county child welfare custody. North Carolina’s kinship care page separates informal care, formal court arrangements, kinship foster care, and temporary safety arrangements.
Unlicensed kinship payment
If the child is in the custody of a local child welfare agency, the court approved placement in your home, and you meet the kinship rules, you may qualify for an unlicensed kinship payment even though your home is not licensed as a foster home.
The current unlicensed kinship flyer lists monthly payments of $351 for ages 0–5, $371 for ages 6–12, and $405 for ages 13–17. The county child welfare worker provides the required payment acknowledgment form. A private family arrangement by itself does not create eligibility for this payment.
Licensed kinship foster-care payment
Kinship caregivers are not required to become foster-home licensed just because a child is placed with them. Licensing can change the financial support. The May 2026 funding manual lists standard board rates of $702 a month for ages 0–5, $742 for ages 6–12, and $810 for ages 13 and older. Licensed kinship homes use the same standard board-rate structure when the placement and funding rules are met.
Ask what licensing requires and whether a different approved rate applies to the child’s case. Do not assume the standard board rate is the only possible foster-care amount.
KinGAP and adoption assistance
North Carolina’s Kinship Guardianship Assistance Program, usually called KinGAP, is a permanency payment path for some children already in foster care. It is not a general guardianship payment for every grandparent. Current rules require, among other things, a qualifying foster-care history in a licensed prospective guardian home and a signed assistance agreement before the court grants guardianship. The child generally must be at least 10, with a limited younger-sibling exception.
Eligible KinGAP cases can include a monthly payment and other permanency support. Review the current KinGAP eligibility checklist with the worker before a guardianship hearing. Eligible relative adoptions may use a separate assistance agreement, so ask before finalization.
| Placement path | Possible monthly help | What usually matters most |
|---|---|---|
| Private/informal kinship care | No foster-care payment just because the child lives with you | Check Work First, FNS, Medicaid, child support, tax rules |
| Unlicensed county-custody placement | $351 / $371 / $405 by age when eligible | County custody, court-approved placement, kinship, unlicensed home |
| Licensed kinship foster home | Standard board rate starts at $702 / $742 / $810 by age | Licensing, placement status, foster-care funding rules |
| KinGAP guardianship | Ongoing guardianship assistance when eligible | Prior licensed foster placement and agreement before guardianship |
Food Benefits: FNS, WIC, and School-Age Help
North Carolina’s version of SNAP is Food and Nutrition Services (FNS). It provides food benefits through an electronic benefit transfer card. FNS looks at the food household and financial rules, not simply who has legal custody.
A grandparent cannot normally apply for FNS for the grandchildren alone while ignoring other people who are part of the same food household. The official FNS program page explains that people who live together and buy and prepare food together are generally considered in the household. Apply even if you are unsure; the county determines the final household and benefit.
For a senior-focused explanation of the food-benefit process, see our North Carolina SNAP guide. Younger children may also qualify for WIC, and eligible school-age children may receive seasonal nutrition help when the program’s rules are met.
Health Coverage: Medicaid for a Grandchild
A grandchild may qualify for North Carolina Medicaid under the child’s rules even when the grandparent does not qualify for Medicaid. Do not assume your own age, Medicare status, or income automatically decides the child’s case.
You can use the NC Medicaid application, ePASS, or county DSS. NC Medicaid’s general contact number is 1-888-245-0179. If the child is already in county custody, ask the child welfare worker how Medicaid enrollment and cards are being handled for that placement.
Child-Care Help and Subsidies
North Carolina’s Subsidized Child Care Assistance Program can pay part of approved child-care costs for eligible families. Qualifying situations can include working, looking for work, school or training, child protective services, child welfare services, a family crisis, or a child’s developmental needs.
The official child care subsidy page sends families to the county child-care contact. Routine first-time applicants generally must be a parent or legal guardian. An informal grandparent should ask what authority document is needed. In a child welfare or foster-care case, ask the worker about the separate referral path.
Reality check: Child-care subsidy funding and priority categories are administered locally. An eligible family can still face a wait or a provider-participation problem.
Tax Help, Child Support, and Social Security
- Child support: NC Child Support Services serves parents and nonparent caretakers of minor children. It can help establish, enforce, collect, or modify child support when the case fits.
- Federal tax credits: A grandchild can be a qualifying child for the Child Tax Credit if federal dependency, age, residency, Social Security number, and other rules are met. Only one taxpayer can claim the child for the same tax benefit.
- North Carolina tax deduction: The state has a child deduction tied to federal Child Tax Credit eligibility. Use the instructions for the tax year you are filing; the NCDOR page currently shows 2025 figures.
- Survivor benefits: If a parent died after working and paying Social Security taxes, ask Social Security whether the child qualifies for survivor benefits. Grandchildren can qualify in some circumstances.
- SSI: A child who is blind or has a qualifying disability and meets the financial rules may be eligible for SSI for children. Household financial rules are different from Work First and FNS.
Housing, Utility, and Emergency Financial Help
For a short-term crisis, ask DSS about Work First Emergency Assistance. Counties can have different plans and rules. Benefit Diversion may also be offered by some counties as a one-time alternative to ongoing Work First cash assistance.
For energy bills, North Carolina has LIEAP heating assistance and the Crisis Intervention Program. Seasonal dates, crisis requirements, and available funds can change, so check with DSS before relying on a past year’s opening date.
If housing itself is unstable, our housing assistance in NC guide explains senior housing routes. For an immediate bill or shutoff problem, use our emergency help in NC guide.
Benefits for the Child vs. Benefits for the Grandparent
| Program | Main focus | Important point |
|---|---|---|
| Child-only Work First | Child’s assistance unit | Grandparent may be outside the cash unit |
| Kinship/foster payment | Child’s placement status | County custody and licensing can control payment path |
| FNS | Food household | People buying and preparing food together may count together |
| Medicaid for child | Child’s Medicaid category | Grandparent’s Medicare status does not decide child’s case |
| LIEAP/CIP | Household and crisis rules | Grandparent’s age, income, disability, or crisis may matter |
For broader programs based on the older adult’s own situation, see North Carolina senior benefits.
Legal Help That Can Unlock Benefits
Legal custody is not required for every benefit, but it can matter for school enrollment, medical consent, child-care subsidy, and permanency assistance. Ask which exact benefit requires which document.
North Carolina law allows certain caregivers to use a school affidavit in defined circumstances. Review the school residency law with the district. A parent may also be able to give an adult caretaker written authority for health decisions under the state’s health care authorization law.
For custody basics, use the North Carolina Judicial Branch child custody guidance. An Area Agency on Aging may also know local senior legal-help options, but custody representation is not guaranteed.
Where to Apply for Financial Help
- County DSS: Start with Work First, FNS, Medicaid, energy help, emergency assistance, and child welfare questions.
- Your child welfare worker: If DSS has custody, ask in writing about the unlicensed payment, licensing, foster-care rate, child-care referral, and permanency assistance.
- Area Agency on Aging: Grandparents age 55 or older caring for a child under 18 can use the Family Caregiver Support Program for information, access help, training, short-term respite, and limited supplemental services. It does not pay a wage for continuous child care.
- Local benefit navigation: Our directory of NC Area Agencies on Aging can help you find the aging network serving your county.
North Carolina also lists KinshipKonnectNC for general resource questions and 2-1-1 for local referrals. Case-specific child welfare questions should go to the assigned worker or county agency.
Documents to Gather Before You Apply
- Your photo ID and proof of North Carolina address.
- Grandchild’s birth certificate and Social Security number, if available.
- Proof of how you are related to the child.
- Proof the child lives with you, such as school, medical, lease, or agency records.
- Any custody, guardianship, placement, safety-plan, foster-care, or court papers.
- Income, benefit, bank, housing, utility, and child-care records requested by the program.
- Child support information and information about the child’s parents when required.
If one document is missing, ask what can be submitted later or used instead.
Reality Checks Before You Count on a Benefit
- No single payment fits every grandfamily. Private kinship care, county custody, licensed foster care, and guardianship are different legal and benefit paths.
- Maximum cash amounts are not guaranteed. DSS decides the actual Work First amount after applying program rules.
- Foster and kinship payments follow placement rules. A grandparent caring for a child privately does not become eligible for foster-care money just by calling the arrangement “kinship care.”
- Child-care funds can be limited. Local agencies can have priorities, provider limits, or waits.
- Tax benefits have one-claimant rules. Do not assume the grandparent can claim a child if a parent or another taxpayer also claims the child.
Common Financial-Help Mistakes to Avoid
- Asking only for “grants” instead of naming Work First, FNS, Medicaid, child-care subsidy, or kinship payments.
- Accepting a change from foster care to guardianship before asking how it changes monthly assistance.
- Assuming legal custody is required for every benefit—or that it guarantees payment.
- Leaving the grandchild out of a benefits screening because the grandparent already receives Social Security or Medicare.
- Using last year’s tax, energy, or income rules without checking the current filing or program year.
Denied, Delayed, or Overwhelmed
Ask for a written notice showing the reason and appeal or hearing rights. If proof is missing, ask what alternative document can be used. For a placement dispute, ask the child welfare worker to confirm county custody, court approval, and whether the home is licensed or unlicensed.
For a temporary gap, check our list of North Carolina charities. Community aid is not a substitute for benefits, but it may help with food, utilities, clothing, or emergency costs while an application is pending.
Phone Scripts for Benefits and Payments
Work First child-only case
“I am a grandparent raising my grandchild. I want to be screened for a child-only Work First case. Does my grandchild qualify, can I stay outside the assistance unit, and what proof of kinship and residence do you need?”
Kinship payment
“Is this child in county custody, and did the court approve placement in my home? Am I eligible for the unlicensed kinship payment now? What would change if I become a licensed kinship foster home?”
KinGAP before guardianship
“Before any guardianship hearing, please tell me whether this child could qualify for KinGAP. Has the licensed-placement time requirement been met, what would the monthly assistance be, and must an agreement be signed before the court order?”
Child-care subsidy
“I am the grandparent caregiver. What legal-authority document do I need to apply for child-care subsidy? If this is a child welfare case, is there a separate referral or fee rule, and what documents should I bring?”
Resumen en Español: Ayuda Financiera para Abuelos
Los abuelos que crían a sus nietos en Carolina del Norte pueden tener acceso a ayuda financiera y beneficios. Pregunte al Departamento de Servicios Sociales (DSS) del condado sobre Work First para el niño, FNS/SNAP, Medicaid y ayuda para el cuidado infantil. Si el menor está bajo custodia del condado y fue colocado en su hogar, pregunte también sobre el pago para cuidadores familiares sin licencia, la licencia de hogar de crianza y KinGAP.
No todos los beneficios usan los mismos ingresos ni exigen la misma custodia legal. Antes de aceptar una tutela o cambiar la colocación, pregunte por escrito cómo cambiaría el pago mensual. Lleve documentos de identidad, parentesco, residencia del menor, ingresos y cualquier orden judicial o documento de colocación.
Frequently Asked Questions About Financial Help
Can a grandparent get Work First TANF for a grandchild?
Yes, a qualifying grandparent or relative may be able to apply for a child-only Work First case. County DSS verifies kinship, living arrangement, and the child’s eligibility. The grandparent may be outside the assistance unit.
Do I need legal custody to get child-only Work First?
Not always. North Carolina kinship guidance says legal custody is not required simply to apply for TANF, but the caregiver must meet the state’s kin-caregiver definition and provide the proof DSS requests.
How much is North Carolina’s unlicensed kinship payment?
For an eligible child in county custody and an approved unlicensed kinship placement, the current monthly amounts are $351 for ages 0–5, $371 for ages 6–12, and $405 for ages 13–17. Private informal care does not qualify for this payment by itself.
Can I get SNAP or FNS for my grandchild?
You can apply for Food and Nutrition Services, but the county must determine who belongs in the food household. FNS generally looks at people who live together and buy and prepare food together, so it is not automatically a child-only benefit.
Can my grandchild get Medicaid if I have Medicare?
Yes, that may be possible. A child’s Medicaid eligibility is evaluated under the child’s rules. A grandparent’s Medicare status does not by itself decide whether the child qualifies.
Can a grandparent get help paying for child care?
Possibly. North Carolina subsidizes child care for eligible families in several work, school, child welfare, crisis, and developmental-need situations. Routine first-time applicants generally must be a parent or legal guardian, so an informal grandparent should ask what authority document or child welfare referral is needed.
Can I claim my grandchild for tax credits?
A grandchild can be a qualifying child for some federal tax benefits if the dependency, age, residency, Social Security number, income, and other rules are met. Only one taxpayer can claim the same child for the same benefit, so confirm the current tax-year rules before filing.
Does guardianship automatically create a monthly payment?
No. Private guardianship does not automatically create KinGAP or another monthly payment. KinGAP is for qualifying children with a specific foster-care and licensed-placement history, and the assistance agreement must be completed before guardianship is granted.
About This Guide
Sources: This guide uses official federal, state, local, and other high-trust nonprofit and community sources linked in the article.
Editorial note
This guide is produced under the GFS Editorial Standards using official and other high-trust sources. GFS is not affiliated with any government agency and is not a substitute for official agency guidance. Individual eligibility outcomes cannot be guaranteed.
Corrections
Despite careful verification, errors may occur. Email info@grantsforseniors.org with corrections.
Disclaimer
This article is for informational purposes only and is not legal, financial, medical, tax, disability-rights, immigration, or government-agency advice. Program rules, policies, funding, and availability can change. Readers should confirm current details directly with the responsible official program before acting.
Last updated: 15 September 2026 · Next review: 15 January 2027
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