Pennsylvania Assistance Programs: SNAP, TANF, Medical Assistance, CHIP, and LIHEAP

How Pennsylvania assistance programs work

Pennsylvania keeps most of its safety net under one agency. DHS sets the rules for SNAP, cash assistance, Medical Assistance, CHIP, and LIHEAP, and each county has a County Assistance Office that interviews applicants, checks proof, and decides cases. Philadelphia has several district offices under one headquarters.

That single structure is good news for applicants: one COMPASS application can screen you for several programs at once, and one caseworker file holds your documents. The trade-off is that rules can feel strict. TANF, for example, comes with a written agreement about the steps you will take toward work, and Medical Assistance is adding new reporting for some adults in 2027.

Local help, such as rent programs, food pantries, and legal aid, sits outside DHS. PA 211 is the way to find it.

Programs sorted by need

This table shows which Pennsylvania program fits which problem. Check figures with DHS before you rely on them, because they change.

COMPASS and your County Assistance Office

COMPASS is the DHS website for applying for and managing benefits. You can start a single application for food, cash, health care, and heating help, then upload documents and report changes later through COMPASS or the myCOMPASS PA mobile app. To check where an application stands, DHS points to trackmybenefits.pa.gov.

If you would rather not apply online, you can mail a paper application (DHS form PA 600) or drop it at your CAO. DHS's helpful phone numbers page lists the COMPASS and benefits helpline at 1-800-692-7462 and the CHIP helpline at 1-800-986-KIDS (5437). DHS also lists 877-395-8930 (215-560-7226 in Philadelphia) for reporting on Medical Assistance.

Expect an interview for SNAP and TANF and a list of proofs to send, such as ID, pay stubs, rent receipts, and utility bills. Keep copies of everything you send, and note the date.

SNAP benefits and work rules

SNAP, which many Pennsylvanians still call food stamps, puts a monthly grocery benefit on an ACCESS card, Pennsylvania's EBT card. National limits apply: from October 2026 through September 2027, a household of one can have up to $1,729 a month in gross income and can receive up to $306. For other household sizes, try our SNAP calculator.

Work rules are the big change in Pennsylvania. DHS ended its SNAP work requirement waivers on September 1, 2025, and began enforcing the rules on November 1, 2025. Adults ages 18 to 64 without dependent children now generally need about 80 hours a month of work, volunteering, or a DHS-approved training program to keep SNAP beyond three months in three years, unless they qualify for an exemption. Veterans and young adults who aged out of foster care lost their former automatic exemptions under the federal law. If you are unsure whether you are covered, ask your caseworker before your benefits are counted against the time limit.

TANF cash assistance for families

Temporary Assistance for Needy Families gives monthly cash to pregnant women, children, and the parents or relatives who care for them. According to the DHS TANF page, you must:

• Live in Pennsylvania and be a U.S. citizen or an eligible noncitizen.
• Have countable resources, such as bank accounts or property other than your home, of $1,000 or less.
• Sign and follow an Agreement of Mutual Responsibility, which lays out your job search, training, or other steps.
• Cooperate with child support and paternity unless you have good cause, such as domestic violence.

Cash is limited to 60 months in a lifetime. The grant depends on family size and county. Pennsylvania's cash grants are among the lowest in the country: a Drexel University Center for Hunger-Free Communities brief found the grant was $403 a month for a family of three in most counties and had not been raised since 1990. We could not find a newer official chart, so ask your CAO for the current amount.

For a short-term setback, such as a car repair or a gap before a new job starts, ask about the DHS diversion program, which can pay a one-time amount instead of ongoing TANF. Our Pennsylvania hardship program guide covers other one-time options.

Medical Assistance in Pennsylvania

Medical Assistance, or MA, is Pennsylvania's Medicaid program. Pennsylvania expanded Medicaid, so adults 19 to 64 with income up to 138% of the poverty level can qualify without having children or a disability. Most members get care through a managed care plan called HealthChoices. Children, pregnant women, older adults, and people with disabilities qualify under separate groups with their own income rules.

You can apply for MA any time of year through COMPASS, by phone, or at your CAO. If you are turned down or cut off, the Pennsylvania Health Law Project offers free help with MA and CHIP problems.

Medical Assistance changes in January 2027

The federal budget law passed in 2025 brings several changes, and DHS has laid them out on its Medicaid changes page:

• Work or activity reporting. Adults ages 19 to 64 without a dependent child under 14 must show at least 80 hours a month of work, volunteering, job training, or part-time school, or monthly household income of at least $580. You report at application and at each renewal starting in 2027.
• Exemptions. These include caring for a child under 14 or a person with a disability, pregnancy or postpartum coverage, being medically frail, substance use treatment, a VA total disability rating, former foster youth under 26, and meeting TANF or SNAP work rules.
• Six-month renewals. New expansion adults approved on or after January 1, 2027, renew six months after coverage starts. Current members switch after their next renewal in or after February 2027.
• Less retroactive coverage. Instead of up to three months of past bills, expansion adults get one month and other groups get two.

DHS has an HR1 question line at 1-877-883-6383. If DHS sends a letter asking for information, you generally have 30 days to answer, so open every envelope. Our Medicaid guide explains the federal rules in plain terms.

CHIP coverage for children

CHIP covers children and teens under 19 who are uninsured and not eligible for Medical Assistance. The DHS CHIP eligibility page says most families get CHIP for free, with no premiums or copays. Families above a set income level pay low-cost premiums and copays, and the current chart took effect March 1, 2026. If your child turns out to qualify for Medical Assistance instead, DHS refers the case to Medical Assistance.

Apply through COMPASS or call 1-800-986-KIDS. CHIP is offered through several private insurance companies, and you choose one when you enroll.

LIHEAP heating grants this season

The Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program helps with heating costs for renters and owners. You do not need to be on other benefits or behind on your bill. The DHS LIHEAP page sets out the 2026-27 season:

• Dates: November 2, 2026 through April 23, 2027.
• Cash grant: a one-time payment of $200 to $1,000, sent to your utility or fuel dealer, based on household size, income, and fuel type. It does not have to be repaid.
• Crisis grant: for a broken heater, a shutoff or shutoff notice within 60 days, no fuel, or less than a 15-day supply. If you have not gotten a cash grant this season, apply for LIHEAP to be considered; if you have, call your CAO.
• How to apply: COMPASS, a paper form returned to your CAO, or the LIHEAP hotline at 1-866-857-7095. In Philadelphia, the LIHEAP office is at 215-560-1583.

These are the DHS gross annual income limits, in effect since February 1, 2026:

Add $8,520 for each person beyond eight. Utility customer assistance programs and hardship funds can help alongside LIHEAP, so ask your gas or electric company what it offers.

PA 211, food banks, and legal help

PA 211, run with the United Way of Pennsylvania, answers 24 hours a day, every day. Dial 211 or text your ZIP code to 898-211. Specialists know which rent, utility, and food programs have funds in your area right now. For rent and eviction help by county, see our Pennsylvania rent relief guide.

• Feeding Pennsylvania links to its member food banks and their pantry finders.
• Pennsylvania Legal Aid Network connects you with free civil legal help for benefit denials, utility shutoffs, and evictions.
• Your utility company may offer a customer assistance program with a reduced monthly bill.

If DHS denies or reduces your benefits, the notice explains your appeal rights and deadline. Appeal in writing, ask whether your benefits can continue while the appeal is pending, and keep a copy of everything.

An Allentown family, step by step

Take a grandmother in Lehigh County who is raising two grandchildren on a small pension. In November she opens one COMPASS application and asks to be screened for SNAP, TANF for the children, Medical Assistance, and LIHEAP. Because she is caring for children under 14, she will not need to report work hours for Medical Assistance in 2027. The children's coverage comes through Medical Assistance or, if her income is too high, CHIP at no cost. Her LIHEAP cash grant goes straight to her gas company, and when her furnace stops working in January she calls the CAO about a crisis grant. She dials 211 to find a pantry near her church and a coat drive for the kids. Every part of this is free.

Related guides

• Pennsylvania rent relief program
• Pennsylvania debt relief programs
• Pennsylvania mortgage relief program
• Pennsylvania disaster relief program

Frequently asked questions

This guide is general information. Program rules and amounts are set by the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services, County Assistance Offices, and federal agencies. National Relief Program is an independent website and is not affiliated with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania or any government agency.