The Department for Education has published its Condition Improvement Fund (CIF) 2027/28 guidance, introducing several important changes. While eligible project types remain largely unchanged, greater emphasis is now placed on project planning, procurement compliance, cost certainty and application quality.
For Schools planning a CIF bid, understanding these changes at an early stage will be essential to developing a strong and compliant application.
Key CIF 2027/2028 Changes
Compared to the 2026/2027 guidance, the 2027/28 round places greater emphasis on planning, option appraisals, procurement evidence and application quality.
Several important changes have been introduced for the 2027/28 funding round:
- Project Planning has increased from 15 points to 20 points, while Project Need has reduced from 60 points to 55 points. Project Cost remains unchanged at 25 points. The change effectively transfers 5% of the available score from Project Need to Project Planning, highlighting the growing importance of demonstrating how a project will be delivered.
- A bespoke, details and costed options appraisals is now explicitly required, and applications may be disqualified if one is not included.
- Supporting documents for Project Need, Project Planning and Project Cost are each limited to 50 pages and must use Arial font at a minimum size of 11. Information beyond page 50 will not be considered.
Project Planning Now Carries More Weight
One of the more significant changes within the CIF 2027/28 guidance is the revised scoring structure.
While Project Need remains the largest scoring category, schools must place greater emphasis on demonstrating that projects are well planned, deliverable and supported by realistic programmes, risks and procurement arrangements.
Costed Option Appraisals Are Now Essential
The Department for Education now requires every application to include a bespoke, detailed and costed option appraisal. Schools must demonstrate that alternative approaches have been considered, including lower-cost solutions and a “do nothing” option.
The guidance specifically states that applications without an options appraisal may be disqualified, making this one of the most important new requirements for the 2027/28 round. Reusing the same options appraisal across multiple applications may also lead to disqualification.
New Requirements for Supporting Documents
Project Need, Project Planning and Project Cost documents are now limited to 50 pages each and must use Arial font no smaller than size 11. Any material beyond page 50 will be disregarded. The existing 1MB file size limit also remains in place.
Schools will therefore need to ensure reports are concise, clearly structured and focused on their strongest evidence.
Stronger Procurement and Cost Evidence
Applicants must provide more detailed evidence relating to the procurement of technical advisers and project costs. The guidance places greater emphasis on procurement compliance and maintaining a clear audit trail of how advisers have been appointed, including procurement routes, evaluations and appointment records.
For projects seeking maximum cost-certainty marks, the guidance refers to providing at least three thorough and comparable tenders or quotations.
The CIF Portal Application is More Important Than Ever
Another key change is the increased importance of the CIF portal application itself.
The department for Education has confirmed that the portal will be the main source of information used during assessment. Applicants are therefore expected to provide substantive responses within the application rather than relying on supporting documents to explain the project. Statements such as “please see attached” are not accepted as a substitute for answering questions fully.
Less Room for Errors
The updated guidance makes it clear that applicants should not expect the Department for Education to request missing, incorrect or incomplete documentation after submission. There is no opportunity to amend applications once the deadline has passed, and a missing or incomplete declaration will result in disqualification.
The 2027/28 guidance is therefore considerably less forgiving than previous rounds, making thorough quality assurance checks more important than ever.
What Do These Changes Mean for Schools?
Successful CIF 2027/28 applications will require stronger planning, clearer evidence and greater attention to compliance than in previous rounds. Schools should begin developing projects early to allow sufficient time for surveys, option appraisals, cost planning and procurement requirements.
How Lea Hough Can Help
Lea Hough’s specialist education consultancy team supports schools and academy trusts throughout the CIF process, from condition surveys and project development through to application preparation and project delivery.
If you are considering a future CIF application, contact our team to discuss potential projects and how we can help develop a robust and compliant bid.
