DfE Renewal & Retrofit: the £710m programme

The Department for Education announced a £710m Renewal & Retrofit programme in April 2026 [DfE]. It runs alongside PSDS Phase 4 delivery and is the largest school-specific alternative route during the Phase 5 watch.

Oliver Wakefield-Smith
Founder · Digital Signet
Verified for Phase 4 / Phase 5 watch · refresh expected on Phase 5 window opening
Primary source · Salix Finance PSDS portal salixfinance.co.uk/PSDS last verified 22 Jun 2026

What it funds

Renewal and retrofit of the school estate. Decarbonisation works qualify where they sit within a wider condition-need case (failed boiler, single-glazed windows, leaky roof).

Eligibility

State-school estate (maintained schools and academies) on a DfE allocation basis. Allocation criteria emphasise condition need, pupil impact, and value-for-money.

Difference vs PSDS

Timeline

Multi-year programme; allocation cycles per the DfE schedule. Decarbonisation MATs and LAs should map their PSDS evidence into the condition-need narrative DfE wants.

Apply to both?

Yes for the same estate but not for the same intervention. Apply DfE R&R for the condition-need works and reserve PSDS for the marginal decarbonisation tail.