Temporary Assistance for Needy Families

Temporary Aid for Needy Families (TANF)  provides cash payments that help families pay for basic needs.

You can apply for TANF online at Your Texas Benefits. You can also apply by visiting an HHSC benefits office. To locate an HHSC benefits office near you, use the Your Texas Benefits.

TANF provides monthly cash payments to help pay for:

• Food

• Clothing

• Housing

• Utilities

• Furniture

• Transportation

• Phone

• Laundry

• Supplies for the home

• Medical supplies not paid for by Medicaid

• Other basic needs.

TANF is for families with children aged 18 and younger. Families who can get this help have little to no money or don’t have a way to get money.

A family can be:

• a parent and their child,
• oarents and their children, or
• relatives caring for related children.

• The amount of money the family has,
• The value of things the family is paying for or owns, and
• The amount the family pays for childcare and child support.

Yes. See below for a chart that gives a general idea of the amount of income a person or family can be receiving and still qualify for TANF.

For each additional person, add $43.

Note: Some people might be able to get benefits even if their income is higher than what is listed in this chart.

Yes. A grandparent or relative caring for a child who's related to them might still be able get TANF—even if the relative's income is higher than the amounts listed in the chart.

Yes. If a child’s parent or relative gets TANF, the parent or relative must agree to:

• Train for a job or look for work.
• Follow child support rules.
• Not quit a job.
• Not abuse alcohol or drugs.
• Take parenting skills classes.
• Get vaccines for their child.
• Make sure their child is going to school.

If you receive TANF, you will be told how you can get help in following the program rules.

See below for a chart of the maximum monthly TANF amount.

For each additional person, add $72.

Yes. TANF offers money to families in crisis so that they can pay for basic needs such as the ones listed above. TANF only provides this help to a family once a year.

TANF considers the following a crisis: losing a job, a home, or experiencing a medical emergency.

Yes. TANF provides a once in a lifetime payment of $1,000 to certain relatives that care for one or more related children. The payment can only be given once, no matter how many related children live or move in with the relative.

Grandparents, aunts, uncles, sisters, and brothers who:

• Care for a child who gets TANF,

• Are age 25 or older,

• Do not have a lot of money or have a way to get more money.

Yes. See below for a chart that gives a general idea of the amount of income a relative can receive and still qualify for the one-time TANF payment.

For each additional person, add $787.

If a relative isn't able to get the one-time TANF-for-relatives payment, the child they care for still might be able to get monthly TANF.