2026–27 Condition Improvement Fund now open

The Condition Improvement Fund (CIF) has been confirmed for another year, providing eligible academies, colleges and voluntary-aided schools the opportunity to secure capital funding to keep their buildings safe and in good working order.

While overall maintenance budgets are expected to moderately increase in 2026-27, it will be another competitive year, on average only a third of applications are successful.

Aim of the Condition Improvement Fund (CIF):

Most CIF funding aims to address building issues with significant consequences that revenue or other funding cannot meet. The highest priority is given to condition projects that address compliance and health and safety issues. These include:

Building safety matters
Fire protection systems
Gas and electrical safety
Emergency asbestos removal
Critical replacements of coal and oil-fired boilers where there is a risk of school closure.

How CIF applications are assessed:

The application criteria remain the same as the previous round, with applications scored across three weighted criteria:

Project need (60%) – project type, urgency of need, strength of evidence, nature and extent of impact and GEMS.
Project cost (25%) – overall costs, cost certainty, funding sources and environmental sustainability.
Project planning (15%) – appropriateness of solution, timescales and delivery plan

Responsibility for the CIF application:

In line with last year’s guidance, it begins with information for accounting officers/ senior management teams clearly establishing that they have the sole responsibility for the CIF application.

The DfE are required to deal with a responsible official at the institution with whom the Secretary of State has signed a funding agreement, or in the case of a sixth-form college or VA school, a member of the senior management team.

Key changes in the 2026-27 CIF Guidance:

Changes highlighted by the DfE:

School Rebuilding Programme (SRP)

Clarification that only in exceptional circumstances, to address legal compliance health and safety issues, a Responsible Body selected for SRP may submit a CIF application.

S2e insight: Our analysis shows there are over 90 CIF eligible institutions currently selected for the SRP. Last year, five schools on the SRP list received CIF funding.

Technical Adviser use and procurement

A key change for the 2026–27 round is that applicants must now evidence a compliant procurement process when appointing a technical adviser. This means schools need to show how advisers are selected, ensuring they are suitably qualified and appointed through a transparent process.

Additionally, if applicants decide not to employ a technical adviser, they must ensure that the person responsible for the project has relevant experience and/or qualifications. Detailed requirements for the responsible person include:

suitable qualifications
understands their statutory duties, together with the Construction Design and Management Regulations 2015 Act (CDM 2015)
understands their responsibilities as client / principal designer
ability to provide a comprehensive health and safety file at the end of the project
ensures adequate indemnity insurance is in place.

It is also confirms that responsible bodies cannot claim their own staff costs for managing a project or use technical adviser fees, identified within the bid, to undertake additional works if you then manage the project in-house

This addition reflects the increased requirement for transparent procurement processes following the introduction of the Procurement Act 2023 in February this year. It also highlights the capabilities needed within a responsible body, if it intends to deliver capital projects without the assistance of a technical advisor.

Assessment Considerations

The guidance affirms that applications will either be fully funded or unsuccessful. In certain circumstances the DfE may place applications on hold whilst they undertake additional due diligence and/or attach conditions of funding. Should they identify a significant breach of this guidance or any other regulatory or statutory guidance, the application may be disqualified and deemed unsuccessful.

Potentially to safeguard that all projects are fully funded as per the specific contribution outlined in a bid to ensure contributions are not overstated to receive maximum scores.

Project Costs- inclusion of contingencies and provisional sums

Clarification that project contingency is for unforeseen work, whilst provisional sums should only be expended on work of the scope and nature set out in the description of the included sum. Project contingency and provisional sums must not fund increased scope without an approved Scope Change Request.

Confirmation that project contingency cannot be spent on anything other than the scope of work included in the bid.

Other areas of note in the CIF guidance:

Applying for two projects

Guidance for submitting two bids has been extended with the recommendation to avoid submitting multiple bids for works that would ordinarily be considered a single, cohesive project. This update seeks to avoid duplication, reduced value for money and missed opportunities for streamlined delivery.

Our analysis of last year’s results highlighted that on average 20% of successful schools receive funding for two bids each year, reducing the opportunity for condition funding to reach a higher number of schools. It will be interesting to see whether this update will have implications for the outcome in May next year.

Other evidence of condition

Additional evidence is suggested with the inclusion of more persuasive evidence such as external communications with parents/guardians and/or internal communications such as governing body meeting minutes, staff notifications etc.

Collecting broad and persuasive evidence is crucial to submitting the most compelling bid possible.

Good Estate Management for Schools

Updated to reference to the S chool Estate Management Standards, released earlier this year, along with the Estate Management Competency Framework.

These two documents represent the DfE’s approach to ensure schools are implementing effective estate management, which they consider one of the most important aspects of keeping school estates safe, well-managed and operational.

Project type – project priority and specification

This year all applicants are asked to refer to the “DfE’s construction design standards”. Previously applications were asked to refer to the generic design brief (GDB) which is within the Output Specification 2022 when preparing their CIF project.

The more generic reference to construction design standards, over the specific in previous guidance, may reflect the fact we are currently waiting for the release of a new Output Specification alongside the announcement of a new contractor framework. The OS is expected to be published by the end of the year and while it is unlikely to have significant implications for condition upgrades, could affect new buildings.

Appeals

This is the first time the appeal process has been mentioned within the initial guidance, which confirms an appeal window will open in June 2026 (subject to change). CIF 2026-27 will only consider appeals from applicants who can show that the DfE have made a material error in the assessment, or disqualification, of their application and this has resulted in the application being unsuccessful.

Key dates for CIF 2026–27

Milestone Date

Launch of CIF 2026–27: 21 October 2025

Information for applicants published and online application

window opens

Deadline for new applicants to register for a CIF portal account 9 December 2025 (12 noon)

Deadline for applicants to submit applications with all 16 December 2025 (12 noon)

supporting documents

Applicants notified of outcome May 2026 (subject to change)

Appeal window opens June 2026 (subject to change)

Appeal outcomes published July 2026 (subject to change)

How S2e supports successful CIF bids

S2e’s experienced team of education estate and energy experts have worked with clients to secure CIF funding since its inception. We have continually evolved with the changing DfE requirements to ensure our client’s applications are the most competitive. Our multi-disciplinary team of surveyors, architects, M&E engineers and health & safety specialists, can assist in navigating the CIF process and prepare strong, evidence-based applications.

Our services include: