110.22 Specified Relative

The specified relative of a TANF child may also receive TANF, if he or she is eligible, as a member of the child’s budget group. See Chapter 127 to determine who may qualify as a specified relative. A specified relative who is the biological or adoptive parent of a TANF child must be included in the TANF budget group. See Section 110.4 . A putative father does not have legal status of being a father and is not considered a legally responsible relative (LRR). See CAH 127.21 .

55 Pa. Code § 151.41

One person who meets the definition of a specified relative for the dependent children in one or more TANF budget groups may be the specified relative for each budget group, even though they are not a member of the budget group, if:

They are not required to be a member of a budget group

They choose not to be included

They are in another TANF budget group.

NOTE: There may be more than one TANF budget group headed by the same specified relative. The CAO may assign a common record in multiple budget group situations headed by a common specified relative (codes ES or NS).

When the specified relative is the payment name for more than one budget group, the specified relative is coded either ES or NS in the budget group in which they are or would be a mandatory member. The PA 600 contains the members of all of the budget groups and persons from whom income is deemed. If multiple case records are assigned, each one must contain a PA 600 representing that budget group's composition and signed by the caretaker or relative.

Example: Mrs. Blair applies for cash benefits for self and two minor children, Jeremy and Matthew. She also applies for benefits for her 8-year-old niece, Sarah. Sarah’s parents are deceased, and lives with Mrs. Blair. Therefore, there are two budget groups in this common residence. The first is the TANF budget group of Mrs. Blair and two minor children. The second is the TANF-child-only budget group of the niece, Sarah.

NOTE: The assistance Mrs. Blair gets for self and two children counts toward the 60-month lifetime limit. The assistance in the child-only budget group for Sarah does not count towards the 60-month lifetime limit.

Mrs. Blair (ES) and two children (EC) get the full family size allowance (FSA) for three persons. Mrs. Blair (NS) , as the specified relative and payment name, gets the full FSA for one person, her niece (EC).

One or more specified relatives may be responsible for the care of and control of dependent children in the same budget group or different budget groups in a common residence. A different specified relative may be designated for each TANF budget group.

55 Pa. Code § 151.42

Revised March 25, 2025, replacing July 10, 2024