This article discusses the scenarios that may change whether you can still receive TANF payments and whether the amount might change.

[no-lexicon]Supplemental Security Income (SSI)[/no-lexicon] and other disability payments

If you receive Supplemental Security Income (SSI):

• You may not get TANF at the same time;
• You may not be part of any TANF assistance unit; and
• Your income is not counted toward any TANF assistance unit.

However, other members of the household in the TANF assistance unit may still receive TANF.

For example: A mother lives with a child. The child gets SSI. The mother and child meet the non-financial requirements for a TANF unit. The unit will get the standard TANF payment for a family of one adult and no children instead of one adult and one child. The child’s SSI payment will not count to lower the mother’s TANF grant.

Disability payments from other disability programs are exempt up to the amount of the current SSI amount. 

Examples of other government disability programs:

• Old age, survivor, and disability insurance (OASDI)
• Railroad retirement
• Black lung
• Veterans

Foster care payments

If you are a licensed foster care provider, and you get foster care payments from DCFS, the foster child and foster care payments are not included in your TANF grant.

If you are not licensed and you are taking care of a foster child, the foster child can receive a TANF payment that is higher than normal, but less than the full foster care payment.

You must apply for this payment at the DHS office. If you already get TANF, the foster child is added to your case.