Keeping in touch days are up to 10 days an employee can work during maternity leave, adoption leave or Bereaved Partner's Paternity Leave without ending the leave or losing Statutory Maternity Pay for those weeks. On Shared Parental Leave, each parent gets up to 20 extra 'SPLIT' days. They're optional for both sides, and the work and pay must be agreed before the employee comes in.
KIT days are one of the most useful and least understood parts of UK family leave. Used well, they let a parent ease back in, join a training day or a big meeting, and keep in contact with the team. Used carelessly, they can end the leave early or cost a week of statutory pay. Here's how the GOV.UK rules work for employees and employers.
How many KIT and SPLIT days you get
| Type of leave | In-touch days available | Name |
|---|---|---|
| Maternity leave | Up to 10 | Keeping in touch (KIT) days |
| Adoption leave | Up to 10 | Keeping in touch (KIT) days |
| Bereaved Partner's Paternity Leave | Up to 10 | Keeping in touch (KIT) days |
| Shared Parental Leave | Up to 20 per parent | Shared Parental Leave in touch (SPLIT) days |
SPLIT days are in addition to the 10 KIT days, so a mother who takes maternity leave and then switches to Shared Parental Leave can use both allowances. Her partner can work up to 20 SPLIT days of their own while they're on Shared Parental Leave.
The rule that catches people out: one hour counts as a day
GOV.UK's guidance for employers says any work on any day, even an hour, counts as a whole KIT day. So a one-hour video call to hand over a project uses up one of your 10 days, exactly as a full day in the office would. If you're planning several short check-ins, it often makes more sense to group them into a single day.
The second catch is day 11. If an employee works more than 10 days in their Statutory Maternity Pay period, the employer can't pay SMP for any week in which they work, and their maternity leave comes to an end. Once the 10 KIT days are used, they lose one week's SMP for each week or part week they work, and the pay period isn't extended to make up for it.
Finally, no KIT day can fall in the compulsory leave period. An employee must take 2 weeks of maternity leave immediately after the birth, or 4 weeks if they work in a factory, and can't work or use a KIT day during that time.
What KIT days don't change
- Doing a KIT day doesn't end maternity leave, adoption leave or Bereaved Partner's Paternity Leave.
- It doesn't affect the employee's right to maternity or adoption pay for the weeks they do some work, within the 10 day limit.
- It doesn't extend the leave. The days come out of the leave you're already on.
- It doesn't make the days compulsory. GOV.UK says the employer has no right to demand KIT work, and the employee doesn't have to do it.
How pay works on a KIT day
There's no fixed statutory rate for a KIT day. Before any work is done, the employer and employee must agree what work will be done, whether the days are used in a row, one at a time or in blocks, and how much the employee will be paid. The employer can count the SMP amount towards the agreed contractual pay, but must still pay the weekly SMP rate the employee is entitled to and meet its other legal duties, such as paying at least the National Minimum Wage.
For context, SMP is paid for up to 39 weeks: 90% of average weekly earnings for the first 6 weeks, then £194.32 or 90% of average weekly earnings, whichever is lower, for the remaining 33 weeks, as of October 2026. That's why it pays to agree a KIT day's pay in writing first: an employee on the flat rate may reasonably expect a day's normal pay for a day's work. The full rules are in this guide to Statutory Maternity Pay.
If you get Maternity Allowance instead of SMP
Self-employed parents and others who don't qualify for SMP may get Maternity Allowance from the government. You can take up to 10 keeping in touch days without affecting the amount you receive, but you need to report any days you work. GOV.UK warns that your Maternity Allowance could be stopped or reduced if you don't report a change straight away, and you might have to pay a £50 fine. There's more on how it works in this Maternity Allowance guide.
Want AI doing the heavy lifting in your marketing?
I build the systems that handle the boring 80 percent, so you get your week back. Done properly, with the human kept in.
Steps for employers planning a KIT day
- Ask, don't instruct. Make it clear the day is optional and that saying no is fine.
- Agree in writing what the work is, the date or dates, and the pay, before the employee comes in.
- Keep a running count of KIT or SPLIT days used, remembering that a short call counts as a full day.
- Check the day doesn't fall in the 2 week (or 4 week) compulsory leave period.
- Pay at least the SMP due for the week plus anything extra you agreed, and never less than the National Minimum Wage for the hours worked.
- Stop at 10 KIT days (or 20 SPLIT days on Shared Parental Leave) unless you've both agreed the consequences for leave and pay.
Steps for employees
- Decide what you'd find useful: training, a team day, a planning meeting or a phased start before you return.
- Agree the pay before the day, and get it in an email or letter.
- Group short tasks into one day so you don't waste your allowance.
- Keep your own record of the days used.
- If you're on Maternity Allowance, report each day you work.
My take
If it were my business, I'd treat KIT days as a goodwill tool, not a way to get work done cheaply. Offer them, pay them fairly, and keep a simple log so nobody accidentally crosses day 10. If you're the one on leave and you're tempted to run a small project of your own, that's a separate question from KIT days, and this piece on a side hustle while on maternity leave covers it. For anything specific to your contract, check your employer's policy or ask Acas or an employment adviser.
Frequently asked questions
How many keeping in touch days do you get?
You can work up to 10 keeping in touch days during maternity leave, adoption leave or Bereaved Partner's Paternity Leave, and each parent can work up to 20 SPLIT days during Shared Parental Leave.
Do I get paid for a KIT day?
Yes, but the amount isn't set by law. You and your employer must agree the pay before the work is done, and your employer must still pay any SMP you're due and at least the National Minimum Wage.
Does a short call count as a KIT day?
Yes. GOV.UK says any work on any day, even an hour, counts as a whole KIT day.
What happens if I work more than 10 KIT days?
Your employer can't pay SMP for any week in which you work, your maternity leave comes to an end, and you lose one week's SMP for each week or part week you work after the 10 days are used.
Can my employer make me do KIT days?
No. KIT and SPLIT days are optional, and both the employee and the employer must agree to them.
