Schools and colleges: apply for the condition improvement fund
Source: gov.uk (2025-10-20)

How eligible schools and colleges can apply for the condition improvement fund, which aims to keep buildings safe and in good working order.

The condition improvement fund (CIF) is capital funding which:
- keeps school and college buildings in good working order
- supports a small number of expansion projects
Applications are now open for funding for 2026 to 2027.

You must apply by midday on 16 December 2025.

You should log in to the CIF portal and begin your application at least 7 working days before the deadline. This will allow us enough time to help you if you have any technical difficulties.

If you need to address urgent condition issues that pose the threat of immediate school closure, you can apply for urgent capital support (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/schools-and-colleges-apply-for-urgent-capital-support).

Check your application is appropriate

Use our guidance on the fund (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/condition-improvement-fund-guidance-for-schools) to check:
- your school or trust is eligible to apply
- your project is suitable
- what evidence you will need to include with your application
Get access to the CIF portal

If you are applying to CIF for the first time, send a request for access through the customer help portal (https://customerhelpportal.education.gov.uk/).

We will create your account and send you an invitation to register to the CIF portal.

Check that colleagues in your trust or school have not already created an account before you contact us.

Details you need to create an account

When you create an account, use your trust’s Companies House number as the username.

If you do not have a Companies House number, use your URN with the first two digits being 00 – for example, 00123456.

Do not change your username after this.

You should also provide your:
- email address – you should use a generic account, for example xxx@xxx.xx or xxx@xxx.xx
- name
- position – for example head teacher, business manager, chief financial officer
- phone number
- trust number – this is your Companies House number, if applicable
- school names and URNs
A generic email address makes it easier to contact account holders. It also means schools are not locked out of CIF portal accounts when individual staff move on.

We will send all correspondence about your CIF application to the portal account holder.

If you cannot register or create an account

If you cannot register or create an account but think you are eligible to apply for CIF, contact us as soon as possible through the customer help portal.

Apply through the CIF portal

You must apply for funding through the CIF portal (https://dfe-capital.microsoftcrmportals.com/). We do not accept applications made through other routes.

Use the application form to summarise the most important features and rationale behind a project.

Attach evidence to support your case. The ‘evidence to include with a CIF application’ section of our guidance explains what you need.

Use the user guide on the portal for help.

Manage your CIF portal account

Keep your account up to date

Keep all of the contact details on your CIF portal account up to date. This will be our main way to communicate with you about your application.

You should change your password periodically, particularly if you have:
- shared your login details with a third party and you no longer use their services
- taken over the account from someone who no longer works for your organisation
If you forget your username or password

If you forget your username, submit your details through the customer help portal and we will send it to you.

If you have forgotten your password, use the ‘forgotten password’ option on the portal sign-in page to reset it.

Sharing your login details

You should not share your CIF portal login details with any third party organisation, as this presents an increased risk of fraud.

For practical reasons you may choose to share these details for applications.

If you share your account login details with others, the accounting officer is accountable for all action taken and information submitted in the account. This includes the submission of any application.

We will not accept requests for portal account information, including username requests, from technical advisers or consultants. We will only accept requests from the designated portal account holder from the school or trust.