CIF 2027–28: How to Build a Winning Bid for Science Labs, Toilets and Classrooms
The Condition Improvement Fund (CIF) for 2027–28 is open, and the clock is running. New applicants must register by 12 noon on 30 November 2026, and every bid must be in by 12 noon on 15 December 2026. If your science labs, toilets or classrooms have real condition or safety problems, this is the round to fix them in time for summer 2027.
This guide covers who can apply, what DfE funds first, and how to build a bid for the spaces Brookhouse works on every day.
Free download: our two-page CIF 2027–28 bid checklist. Eligibility, evidence, costs and timeline on one page, so nothing is missed before the deadline.
CIF 2027–28 key dates
Date | What happens |
21 October 2026 | Round opens and guidance published |
12 noon, 30 November 2026 | Deadline for new applicants to register on the CIF portal |
9 December 2026 | Last day to ask DfE to unsubmit a bid to correct errors |
12 noon, 15 December 2026 | Application deadline, including all supporting documents |
May 2027 | Outcomes expected |
June–July 2027 | Appeal window and appeal outcomes |
Who can apply
Stand-alone academies
Schools in a multi-academy trust with fewer than five schools or fewer than 3,000 pupils
Voluntary aided schools in a VA body or group of the same size
Sixth-form colleges
Schools with a signed academy order expected to join an eligible trust by 1 April 2027
Larger trusts (five or more schools and at least 3,000 pupils) receive School Condition Allocations instead. If that's you, the same planning applies: prioritise your highest-risk spaces now so summer 2027 works can be ordered by Easter. Our guide to academy trust estate strategy explains how to rank them across your schools.
How much you can bid for
Primary and special schools: minimum £20,000
Secondary, all-through and sixth-form colleges: minimum £50,000
Maximum for any project: £4 million
The average grant is around £500,000, and requests over £1 million get extra scrutiny
What DfE funds first
CIF is a condition fund. Bids are scored on need and risk, not on how a space looks. The highest priority goes to:
Compliance and health and safety: fire protection, gas and electrical safety, building safety and emergency asbestos removal
Replacing coal or oil boilers with low-carbon alternatives where the school is at risk of closure
Then weathertightness, and keeping heating and water running
Expansion projects get only a very small share. RAAC work is not accepted, schools in the School Rebuilding Programme normally shouldn't apply, and energy-efficiency-only schemes rarely succeed.
Where science labs, toilets and classrooms fit
These spaces win funding when the bid shows a genuine condition or safety risk. Strong examples include:
Science labs: gas services that fail inspection, corroded water and waste pipework, unsafe or failed fume cupboards, and damaged worktops that can't be kept clean. See our CLEAPSS school laboratory design guide for what a compliant lab needs.
Toilets: failed drainage and water supply, unhygienic or broken sanitaryware, and partitions that no longer give privacy. A refurbishment should meet DfE's 2026 cubicle standards. Read our guide to the 2026 toilet rules.
Classrooms and practical rooms: fire safety issues in fitted furniture and services, and failing electrics in D&T and food technology rooms.
Five steps to a stronger bid
Get an independent condition survey. Photos, test certificates and a clear description of each defect are the backbone of the bid.
Explain the risk. Spell out what happens if the work isn't done: closure of a lab, loss of toilets, a safety incident.
Cost it properly. A detailed, realistic scope and budget from a specialist is more credible than a round number.
Show you can deliver. Include a programme that fits the school holidays and shows how disruption will be managed.
Check the paperwork. Submit every supporting document by the deadline, and leave time before 9 December in case you need DfE to unsubmit a bid to fix errors.
If your bid succeeds: move fast in May
Results arrive in May, and the summer holiday is only about six weeks long. Schools that already have a design, a costed scope and a manufacturer lined up are the ones that deliver in summer 2027. Brookhouse designs, manufactures and installs, so one team takes you from survey to handover. See our process and the frameworks you can use to buy from us quickly.
Frequently asked questions
When is the CIF 2027–28 deadline?
Applications close at 12 noon on 15 December 2026. New applicants must register for a CIF portal account by 12 noon on 30 November 2026.
Who can apply for CIF?
Stand-alone academies, schools in multi-academy trusts with fewer than five schools or fewer than 3,000 pupils, voluntary aided schools in similar small groups, and sixth-form colleges. Larger trusts receive School Condition Allocations (SCA) instead.
What is the minimum CIF project value?
£20,000 for primary and special schools, and £50,000 for secondary schools, all-through schools and sixth-form colleges. The maximum is £4 million.
Can CIF pay for a science lab or toilet refurbishment?
It can when the bid is about condition and safety, for example failing gas, water or electrical services in a lab, or worn-out washrooms with drainage and hygiene problems. Bids for cosmetic upgrades or energy-efficiency-only work are unlikely to succeed.
When will we hear if our CIF bid has been successful?
DfE expects to notify applicants in May 2027, with an appeal window from June 2027. Successful projects usually aim for delivery in the summer holidays.
Sources: DfE: Condition Improvement Fund information for applicants 2027 to 2028 and GOV.UK: Schools and colleges: apply for the Condition Improvement Fund. Information correct at 10 November 2026; always check the current DfE guidance before submitting.
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