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Last updated: 21 September 2026
Grandparents raising grandchildren in Pennsylvania may be able to get financial help and benefits for the child or household. The strongest routes include child-only cash assistance, formal kinship or foster payments, caregiver reimbursements, food and health benefits, child-care subsidies, tax credits, and emergency housing help.
Programs use different household rules. Some focus on the child; others count the grandparent’s income, age, work status, or household. Legal custody is not required for every benefit.
Bottom Line
Financial help may come from several programs at the same time. For many grandparents, the fastest first step is to ask for a child-only Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) case plus SNAP and health coverage. If the child was placed through county Children and Youth, ask about formal kinship foster payments or a permanency subsidy. If you are age 55 or older, also ask your Area Agency on Aging about caregiver reimbursements.
Need Financial Help Right Now?
- No food: Apply for SNAP and call PA 211 for a nearby food pantry or emergency food program.
- Eviction or homelessness: Ask your County Assistance Office about the Emergency Shelter Allowance and call PA 211 for local housing help.
- No health coverage for the child: Apply for Medical Assistance and CHIP. Do not wait for a custody case to finish before asking what coverage route applies.
Start Here: Three Financial-Benefit Actions
- Apply for child benefits. Use COMPASS or call 1-866-550-4355. Ask about child-only TANF, SNAP, Medical Assistance, and any other benefits that fit the child.
- Identify your kinship-care status. Call PA KinConnector at 1-866-546-2111. Ask whether your arrangement is informal care, private custody, or a formal county placement, because payment options differ.
- Check older-caregiver help. If you are 55 or older, contact your Area Agency on Aging for the Caregiver Support Program. GFS’s Pennsylvania AAA guide can help you find the right office.
Quick Reference: Pennsylvania Financial Help and Benefits
| Benefit or help | What it can pay for | Key eligibility issue | Where to apply |
|---|---|---|---|
| Child-only TANF | Monthly cash for basic child needs | Child must meet TANF rules and live with a qualifying relative caregiver | COMPASS or County Assistance Office |
| Kinship foster payment | Costs of caring for a formally placed child | Usually requires county placement and an approved resource home | County Children and Youth |
| SPLC or adoption subsidy | Ongoing support after eligible permanency | Only for qualifying child-welfare cases with agreements in place | County child welfare agency |
| Caregiver Support Program | Approved caregiving costs, respite, supplies, modifications | Grandparent or older relative caregiver must generally be 55+ | Area Agency on Aging |
| SNAP | Eligible food purchases | Household and income rules apply | COMPASS or County Assistance Office |
| Medical Assistance or CHIP | Health coverage for the child | Coverage and household rules differ by program | COMPASS |
| Child Care Works | Part of approved child-care costs | Income plus work, school, or training rules | Early Learning Resource Center |
| Tax credits | Refund or lower state/federal tax | Tax filing, income, dependent, and child rules | Federal and PA tax returns |
What Has Changed
Pennsylvania now has a Working Pennsylvanians Tax Credit for tax year 2025 returns filed in 2026. It is refundable, equals 10% of a qualifying taxpayer’s federal Earned Income Tax Credit, and can be as much as $805. This adds a state tax route that was not available in older versions of this guide.
The current Child Care Works entry-income chart was also updated for May 2026. The program continues to use a 200% of federal poverty level entry limit, along with work, education, or training rules. Pennsylvania’s current caregiver-support guidance also continues the older-relative caregiver category for people age 55 and older.
Cash Assistance: Child-Only TANF
Child-only TANF is often the first direct cash benefit to check. Pennsylvania TANF can provide money for dependent children who live with relatives caring for them. A child-only case is different from a case in which the grandparent also asks for TANF for themselves.
Why the distinction matters: Pennsylvania’s current TANF state plan says a specified relative who is not in the mandatory budget group can seek TANF only for the minor child. A child-only budget group is also not subject to the adult 60-month TANF time limit. The County Assistance Office still decides the case and may need information about the child’s parents, income available to the child, child support, residence, and relationship.
Where to apply: Use Pennsylvania’s TANF application page, COMPASS, or a County Assistance Office. If you want help only for the child, say: “I want to be screened for a child-only TANF case.”
Official Family Size Allowances
Pennsylvania’s official cash-assistance table uses county schedules. The figures below are the listed family size allowances for budget groups of one, two, or three people. They are not a promise of the payment you will receive. The actual monthly assistance payment can be reduced by countable income and other case rules.
| County schedule | 1 person | 2 people | 3 people | Counties |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Schedule 1 | $215 | $330 | $421 | Bucks, Chester, Lancaster, Montgomery, Pike |
| Schedule 2 | $205 | $316 | $403 | Adams, Allegheny, Berks, Blair, Bradford, Butler, Centre, Columbia, Crawford, Cumberland, Dauphin, Delaware, Erie, Lackawanna, Lebanon, Lehigh, Luzerne, Lycoming, Monroe, Montour, Northampton, Philadelphia, Sullivan, Susquehanna, Union, Warren, Wayne, Westmoreland, Wyoming, York |
| Schedule 3 | $195 | $305 | $393 | Beaver, Cameron, Carbon, Clinton, Elk, Franklin, Indiana, Lawrence, McKean, Mercer, Mifflin, Perry, Potter, Snyder, Tioga, Venango, Washington |
| Schedule 4 | $174 | $279 | $365 | Armstrong, Bedford, Cambria, Clarion, Clearfield, Fayette, Forest, Fulton, Greene, Huntingdon, Jefferson, Juniata, Northumberland, Schuylkill, Somerset |
The current online Pennsylvania Code still lists these amounts in Table 3 allowances. Ask the County Assistance Office to calculate your actual benefit rather than treating the table as a guaranteed check amount.
Kinship Care, Foster, and Permanency Payments
Pennsylvania does not give every grandparent an automatic monthly kinship payment. The payment route depends mainly on whether the child is in a formal child-welfare placement.
Informal care: A private family arrangement can still support TANF, SNAP, health coverage, child care, and caregiver reimbursements, but it does not create foster payments.
Formal kinship foster care: If county Children and Youth places the child and you become an approved kinship or resource foster parent, payments can help offset the child’s care. Pennsylvania’s foster parent guidance explains that approved foster parents receive payments; the amount depends on the child and agency.
Subsidized Permanent Legal Custodianship (SPLC): For eligible children already in the child-welfare system, Pennsylvania’s SPLC policy bulletin allows a monthly subsidy up to the foster maintenance amount for that child and eligible nonrecurring guardianship expenses up to $2,000. The child-welfare agency must determine eligibility and complete the required agreement.
Adoption assistance can also apply to some eligible child-welfare cases. Before finalizing SPLC or adoption, ask for the proposed payment, medical coverage, start date, duration, and signed agreement. For national context, see GFS’s grandparent financial-help programs guide.
Caregiver Reimbursements for Grandparents Age 55+
Pennsylvania’s older-relative caregiver category is for caregivers age 55 or older who are not the child’s biological parent, are related by blood, marriage, or adoption, and have guardianship or are raising the child informally. The dependent child must be under 18 and live with the caregiver.
The Caregiver Support Program has no financial eligibility requirement to participate. Reimbursement uses a sliding scale based on the care receiver household’s gross income and size. Current guidance provides 100% reimbursement at or below 200% of the federal poverty level, with lower percentages through just under 380%.
Pennsylvania lists up to $600 per month for approved ongoing costs and up to $5,000 lifetime for approved home modifications or assistive devices. See the state’s reimbursement limits. Ask the Area Agency on Aging what must be approved before you spend money.
Food Benefits: SNAP and Emergency Food
SNAP can help pay for groceries, but it is not a child-only benefit in the same way TANF can be. Pennsylvania defines a SNAP household as people who usually buy and prepare meals together. That means the grandparent’s household situation can matter.
Apply through Pennsylvania’s SNAP application. If the grandparent is age 60 or older, different deductions or household rules can matter; GFS’s Pennsylvania senior SNAP guide explains those older-adult rules in more detail.
If you need food before an application is decided, call 211 and ask for food pantries, meal sites, and other local emergency food resources. Do not wait for the cash-assistance decision before applying for food help.
Health Coverage: Medical Assistance and CHIP
Health coverage can remove a large household cost. Pennsylvania Medical Assistance is the state’s Medicaid program. The County Assistance Office decides who belongs in the Medicaid household under the coverage category being reviewed. Start with the state’s Medical Assistance application.
If a child is not eligible for Medical Assistance, the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) may cover an uninsured child or teen up to age 19. Pennsylvania’s CHIP grandparent guidance says the grandparent’s income is counted for CHIP only if the grandparent has legally adopted the grandchild. CHIP can include doctor visits, prescriptions, dental, vision, emergency, and hospital care.
Important: Do not assume TANF, SNAP, Medicaid, and CHIP all use the same household definition. Ask the worker how the specific program treats your relationship to the child.
Child-Care Help: Child Care Works
Pennsylvania’s Child Care Works subsidy can pay part of eligible child-care costs when care is needed for qualifying work, school, or training. Current Child Care Works rules use a 200% federal-poverty entry limit and generally require 20 hours of work weekly, or 10 hours of work plus 10 hours of school or training.
The May 2026 annual entry-income limits include $43,280 for a family of two, $54,640 for three, and $66,000 for four. Other conditions apply. Apply through an Early Learning Resource Center (ELRC) and ask how your household, schedule, child’s age, provider, and copay will be treated.
Tax Help and Refundable Credits
Working Pennsylvanians Tax Credit: The new refundable state tax credit begins with tax year 2025. If you qualify for the federal Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), the Pennsylvania credit equals 10% of that federal credit and can be up to $805.
Child and dependent care credit: Pennsylvania’s refundable dependent care credit is based on the federal credit and can reach $1,050 for one qualifying dependent or $2,100 for two or more.
A grandchild can be a qualifying child for some federal tax benefits, but a parent and grandparent cannot both use the same child in ways the tax rules prohibit. Check the IRS EITC tiebreaker rules or use qualified tax help before filing.
Housing, Utility, and Emergency Financial Help
Adding a grandchild can raise rent, utility, transportation, and food costs quickly. If a housing crisis is immediate, Pennsylvania’s Emergency Shelter Allowance can provide up to $400 depending on the situation. It is designed to solve a housing crisis such as an eviction, foreclosure, or need for short- or long-term housing. Income and resource rules apply, and the allowance is generally limited to one consecutive 30-day period in 12 months.
For broader rent, voucher, and senior housing routes, use GFS’s Pennsylvania housing assistance guide. If you need immediate food, shelter, utility, transportation, or local charity help while benefits are pending, use the Pennsylvania emergency guide.
Seasonal utility programs can open and close. For current local programs, contact PA 211 and ask what is taking applications in your county now.
Legal Help That Can Unlock Benefits
Legal custody is not required for every financial benefit, but the right document can help with school, health care, child-welfare payments, or proof of responsibility.
The statewide Grandparents Legal Line at 1-877-727-7529 offers legal information, advice, and referrals to older caregivers on custody and dependency issues.
Pennsylvania’s Section 1302 guidance says a district resident supporting a child without personal compensation may be able to use a sworn statement instead of a custody order for school enrollment. TANF, SSI, adoption support, or child support for the child does not by itself count as personal compensation.
The Medical Consent Act can let a parent, legal guardian, or legal custodian give an adult relative or family friend authority for certain health-care decisions, unless a county-custody or court-order exception applies.
Where to Apply Without Wasting Time
- Benefits application: Use COMPASS or call 1-866-550-4355 for TANF, SNAP, and health-coverage applications. If you need the local office, use the state’s County Assistance Offices directory.
- Track the case: Save the confirmation number and every document-upload receipt. Respond quickly to requests for proof.
- Kinship navigation: Call KinConnector at 1-866-546-2111 if you do not know whether the case is informal, custody-based, or a county placement.
- Older caregiver reimbursement: Call the Area Agency on Aging if you are 55 or older and raising a dependent child in your home.
- Child care: Contact the ELRC for Child Care Works screening and provider questions.
- Portal help: GFS’s Pennsylvania benefits portals guide explains COMPASS, myPATH, and other state benefit systems.
Documents to Gather for Benefit Applications
Start the application even if you do not have every paper. Ask what is missing and the deadline.
- Photo ID and Pennsylvania address proof
- Grandchild’s birth date, Social Security number if available, and proof the child lives with you
- Custody, foster-placement, adoption, guardianship, or parent-permission papers
- Income records for people the specific program counts
- Child support or Social Security received for the child
- Rent, utility, child-care, and medical-cost records when relevant
- Work or school schedule for Child Care Works
- Agency notices and application confirmations
Reality Checks About Pennsylvania Benefits
- There is no universal grandparent stipend. Informal kinship care can qualify for important benefits, but it does not automatically create a foster payment.
- Child-only TANF is modest. The official allowance is a starting point; countable income and case setup affect the actual payment.
- Formal child-welfare payments have formal rules. Foster, SPLC, and adoption assistance depend on placement, approval, eligibility, and agreements.
- One household rule does not fit every program. TANF, SNAP, CHIP, child care, and tax credits count people differently.
- County administration can change the process. Ask for the rule, document list, deadline, and worker or office handling your case.
Common Benefit Mistakes to Avoid
- Waiting for a custody order before asking about child-only TANF or health coverage.
- Assuming a private kinship arrangement automatically qualifies for foster payments.
- Assuming the grandparent’s income is excluded from every program because it may be excluded from a child-only TANF budget group.
- Missing a renewal, interview, document deadline, or appeal date.
- Paying child-care or caregiver expenses before asking whether preapproval is required for a subsidy or reimbursement.
- Claiming a grandchild on a tax return without checking federal qualifying-child and tiebreaker rules.
Denied, Delayed, or Given the Wrong Answer?
Ask for the decision and reason in writing. Keep the notice because it should explain the deadline and how to appeal. Pennsylvania’s Hearings and Appeals information covers many Department of Human Services benefit disputes.
If the dispute involves custody, dependency, or another legal barrier to benefits, use the grandparent legal line or the PA Legal Aid Network. If a cash benefit is denied, continue pursuing separate food, health, child-care, caregiver, and emergency-help routes when they may apply.
Backup Financial-Help Options
- If TANF does not fit, still apply separately for SNAP and health coverage.
- If foster payments do not fit, ask KinConnector about help for informal caregivers.
- If caregiver reimbursement is limited, ask the AAA about care management and other services.
- If housing aid is slow, use local emergency programs while the main case is pending.
- For the grandparent’s own bills, check GFS’s Pennsylvania senior benefits guide.
Phone Scripts for Financial Help
County Assistance Office
“My grandchild lives with me. I want child-only TANF, SNAP, and health coverage. Who and what income count for each program, what proof do you need, and what is my next deadline?”
KinConnector or Children and Youth
“Is my arrangement informal kinship care or a formal placement? If formal, what approval is needed for foster or permanency payments, and when could payment begin?”
Area Agency on Aging
“I am 55 or older and raising my grandchild. Can you screen me for caregiver reimbursement, tell me my percentage, and explain which costs need preapproval?”
Legal help
“Do I need custody for this specific benefit, school, or health-care problem? What document may work, and what should I bring before I file anything?”
Resumen en Español: Ayuda Financiera y Beneficios
Los abuelos que crían a sus nietos en Pennsylvania pueden tener acceso a ayuda financiera y beneficios: TANF solamente para el menor, SNAP, Medical Assistance o CHIP, subsidio de cuidado infantil, reembolsos para cuidadores mayores y, en casos formales, pagos de cuidado de crianza o subsidios de permanencia.
Empiece con COMPASS o llame al 1-866-550-4355. Llame a PA KinConnector al 1-866-546-2111 para saber si el cuidado es informal o formal. Si tiene 55 años o más, pregunte a su Area Agency on Aging por el Caregiver Support Program. Para problemas legales que bloquean beneficios, escuela o salud, llame al 1-877-727-7529.
No todos los programas cuentan los mismos ingresos. Pregunte quién forma parte del hogar para cada beneficio y qué documentos se necesitan.
Financial Help FAQ
Can I get child-only TANF without legal custody?
Possibly. A dependent child living with a qualifying relative may receive TANF without the grandparent joining the case. The County Assistance Office still decides eligibility and may request relationship, residence, parent, income, and child-support information.
Do all grandparents get kinship-care payments?
No. Informal kinship care does not automatically create foster payments. Foster maintenance usually requires a formal county placement and approved resource home. SPLC and adoption assistance have separate eligibility and agreement rules.
Can I get SNAP for my grandchild?
You may qualify, but SNAP is household-based. Pennsylvania generally looks at people who usually buy and prepare meals together. Ask the County Assistance Office who must be included in your SNAP household.
Does my income count for CHIP?
Pennsylvania says a grandparent's income is counted for CHIP only after legal adoption of the grandchild. Medical Assistance uses different household rules, so ask for screening under the correct health program.
Can a grandparent get child-care help?
Yes, if Child Care Works rules are met. Income, work or training hours, the child's age, and provider rules matter. The subsidy can cover part of approved child-care costs.
Can I claim tax credits for my grandchild?
Sometimes. A grandchild can qualify for certain tax benefits when federal rules are met. If a parent and grandparent could both claim the child, tiebreaker rules may control who can use the child.
Do I need legal custody to get benefits?
Not always. Child-only TANF, some health coverage, Section 1302 school enrollment, and caregiver support can sometimes work without custody. Foster and permanency payments have formal child-welfare and legal requirements.
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 a government agency and is not a substitute for official agency guidance. Individual eligibility outcomes cannot be guaranteed.
Corrections
Despite careful verification, errors may occur. Readers may 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: 21 September 2026 · Next review: 21 January 2027
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