What are KIT days and how many can you take?
You’re on maternity leave, but you’re starting to think about work again. Maybe it’s curiosity. Maybe it’s financial pressure. Maybe you’re just wondering if you’d fit back in. And you’re worried about jumping straight back to full-time, that feeling of missing your baby, missing the flexibility, missing the rhythm you’ve built.
This is where KIT days come in. Short for Keeping In Touch, they’re a built-in flexibility that lets you dip your toe back into work without losing your maternity pay or formally ending your leave. You might use them to ease back into projects, rebuild your confidence, or just reassure yourself that you still know how to do your job.
Here’s what you need to know, based on ACAS and UK government guidance, and the questions most women actually ask.
What are KIT days?
KIT stands for Keeping In Touch. They’re flexible working days built into UK maternity rights specifically so women don’t feel like they have to choose between their baby and their career.
On a KIT day, you go into work (or work remotely if that’s agreed). You earn your normal wage for that day. Crucially, you don’t lose your maternity pay. You also remain “on maternity leave,” meaning your employer can’t use these days to imply you’ve returned to work full-time or that your maternity leave is over.
How many KIT days do you get?
You can take up to 10 KIT days during your maternity leave period. That’s it. You don’t get more if you take unpaid parental leave afterwards, and KIT days don’t roll over year to year. Use them or lose them.
Your employer can’t force you to take KIT days, and you can’t demand more than 10. Both sides have to agree.
When can you use KIT days?
KIT days can be used any time during your maternity leave period, which typically runs from when you start leave until you return to work formally.
Many women use them in the last month or two of maternity leave, when they’re thinking about return. Others sprinkle them throughout. Some save them entirely and never use them, and that’s fine too. It’s your choice.
Do you get paid for KIT days?
Yes. You get your usual pay (or “normal wages,” in official terms). This is one of the few times you’re paid as if you’re actively working, not on maternity benefit. If you’re on variable hours, your employer calculates it based on your average pay in a set period before maternity leave started.
KIT day pay is separate from your maternity pay. You don’t lose your statutory maternity allowance just because you’ve worked a day.
What’s the difference between KIT days and parental leave?
KIT days are informal, flexible, and paid at your normal rate. You stay on maternity leave status.
Parental leave is a separate right (up to 18 weeks unpaid, if you’re eligible) that you can take after maternity leave ends. It’s structured differently and doesn’t come with the same pay protection.
You can use KIT days and then take parental leave. They’re complementary, not competing.
What if you don’t want to take KIT days?
You don’t have to. Your employer can’t pressure you, and you don’t lose anything by declining. Some women find the mental load of going in to work during maternity leave too much. That’s completely valid.
If your employer offers KIT days and you say no, that’s the end of it. You stay on maternity leave until your agreed return date.
The bottom line
KIT days aren’t mandatory, and they’re not for everyone. But they’re there as a choice, a way to stay connected to work on your terms, not your employer’s. If returning to work feels daunting, a few KIT days can soften that first day back.
For more on returning after maternity, check out our guides on building confidence and finding roles that value returners. Because your career isn’t over, it’s just pausing while you focus on what matters most right now.
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This is educational information, not legal advice. Rules around maternity rights, KIT days, and your obligations can vary depending on your contract, sector, and individual circumstances. For guidance on your specific situation, contact ACAS (free and impartial) or your HR team.
Last reviewed: June 2026