Cabinet ministers campaigning for Britain to leave the EU are banned from using the civil service to help with their Brexit fight.
A letter from the Head of the Civil Service, Sir Jeremy Heywood says ministers who "oppose the Government's official position" will not have access to departmental papers relating to EU matters.
This includes papers they may have seen before Mr Cameron made the EU deal – which marked the moment at which Cabinet ministers were allowed to state their official position on the EU and campaign for out.
Under the rules, civil servants will also not be able to give briefings to or write speeches for anti-EU ministers.
The rules do not apply to ministers campaigning to remain in the EU because that is the position of David Cameron's Government.
In a letter to Cabinet, Sir Jeremy wrote: "As set out in the Prime Minister’s letter it will not be appropriate or permissible for the Civil Service to support Ministers who oppose the Government’s official position by providing briefing or speech material on this matter.
"This includes access to official departmental papers, excepting papers that Ministers have previously seen on issues relating to the referendum question prior to the suspension of collective agreement.
"These rules will also apply to their special advisers."
However, Sir Jeremy states that Civil Service support will be available for ministers dealing with all other matters of Government.
Sky News Senior Political Correspondent Sophy Ridge said: "My feeling is that it is going to go down pretty badly with those Cabinet ministers who feel that the Government machine is going against what they want to do and is really rallying behind David Cameron's argument which is for Britain staying within the EU.
"So that is going to be really difficult for David Cameron to manage going forward."
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