Keeping in Touch days let employees on maternity, adoption or shared parental leave work for a limited number of days without automatically ending their leave or losing pay. This guide explains how many KIT days are allowed in 2026/27, how they are paid, and how to use them without accidentally triggering an early return.
What KIT Days Are
Keeping in Touch (KIT) days allow an employee on maternity or adoption leave to work up to a set number of days during their leave — attending training, a team meeting, or doing normal work — without those days ending the leave period or being treated as a return to work.
They are entirely optional for both employee and employer: neither can force the other to agree to a KIT day, and any day worked, however short, counts as one whole KIT day regardless of the number of hours worked.
How Many Days and How They Are Paid
A set maximum number of KIT days is available across the maternity or adoption leave period (separate "SPLIT days" apply during shared parental leave, with their own maximum). Using them all does not extend or shorten the leave itself.
Pay for a KIT day is agreed between employer and employee — there is no fixed statutory rate for the day’s work itself, but working a KIT day does not reduce the Statutory Maternity, Adoption or Shared Parental Pay due for that week, so many employers pay normal salary for the day on top of the statutory pay already due for that week, though this is a matter for agreement rather than a strict legal entitlement to double payment.
Using KIT Days Well
KIT days are useful for keeping skills current, staying connected with a fast-changing role, or easing the eventual return to work, but there is no obligation to use any of them, and declining a request to work a KIT day should not be treated as a disciplinary matter.
Agree in advance, ideally in writing, what work will be done, how it will be paid, and confirm this does not affect the planned return-to-work date, to avoid confusion or disputes about pay and leave dates later.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do KIT days end my maternity leave early?
No. Working an agreed KIT day does not end your maternity, adoption or shared parental leave, provided you stay within the maximum number allowed — your leave and return-to-work date continue as originally planned.
Am I paid extra for working a KIT day?
There is no fixed statutory rate specifically for KIT day work; pay is agreed between you and your employer. Many employers pay your normal salary for the day in addition to the statutory maternity, adoption or shared parental pay already due for that week, but this is by agreement rather than an automatic legal right to a doubled payment.
Can my employer force me to work a KIT day?
No. KIT days are voluntary for both sides — your employer cannot require you to work one, and you cannot insist on being given work, so any KIT day arrangement needs to be agreed by both of you.
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What counts as one KIT day if I only work a couple of hours?
Any amount of work on a day, even a short period, generally counts as one whole KIT day used, regardless of the exact number of hours worked, so it is worth being mindful of how each day is used against your overall allowance.
Are SPLIT days the same as KIT days?
They serve a similar purpose but apply specifically during shared parental leave rather than maternity or adoption leave, and have their own separate maximum number of days, distinct from the KIT day allowance used during maternity or adoption leave itself.
Does refusing a KIT day request affect my job?
No, KIT days are optional, and declining to work one should not be treated as a performance or conduct issue — your statutory maternity, adoption or shared parental leave and pay continue as normal whether or not you use any KIT days.
How many KIT days am I entitled to?
Employees on maternity or adoption leave can use up to 10 Keeping in Touch days without ending their leave; employees on shared parental leave have a separate allowance of up to 20 SPLIT days instead.
Can a KIT day be used for training rather than actual work?
Yes. A KIT day can cover any agreed activity, including attending training, a conference, a team meeting, or a keeping-in-touch catch-up, as well as normal client or project work.
Do KIT days affect my holiday entitlement?
Working a KIT day does not reduce the statutory annual leave you continue to accrue while on maternity, adoption or shared parental leave, since your employment continues throughout that leave regardless of any KIT days worked.
Are KIT days available to someone on paternity leave?
No. KIT days apply specifically to maternity, adoption and shared parental leave; statutory paternity leave does not have an equivalent Keeping in Touch day allowance.
Disclaimer: This guide reflects UK rules as they generally apply in 2026/27. This guide is for general information only and is not professional advice. Consult a qualified adviser and refer to gov.uk for current official guidance before relying on any treatment.
