Last updated: 09/11/2023
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services publishes data annually on TANF application approvals and denials. This information is useful for a number of different purposes. First, it is useful because it provides concrete information on need — there are many families applying for TANF every month who are not approved for assistance. Second, it provides data that you can use to begin to identify whether there are policies and/or administrative procedures that are keeping families from being able to access assistance. The data HHS publishes does not have a lot of detail, but it provides a starting point for assessing access to TANF.
You can find the data for 2020 through 2022 at this link: TANF Application Data (2020 to 2022) | The Administration for Children and Families (hhs.gov)
You can find the earlier data at these two links: TANF Application Data (2010 to 2019) | The Administration for Children and Families (hhs.gov) and TANF Application Data (2000 to 2009) | The Administration for Children and Families (hhs.gov)
CBPP’s Income Security Staff have compiled the data from 2000 through 2020. You can find the excel file under Additional Files at the right.