Overview

If you’re planning on adopting or having a child through a surrogacy, first of all, congratulations!

Although it’s called ‘adoption’ leave, you’re eligible for this leave type if you’re adopting a child, fostering to adopt, or having a child through surrogacy (and apply for a parental or adoption order within 6 months of the birth).

FYI - only one person in a couple can take adoption leave. The other person can take paternity leave, or you can share your leave by taking shared parental leave.

Taking adoption leave

Taking adoption leave is slightly different if you’re adopting or having a child through surrogacy.

Confirming your leave

We’ll confirm in writing the dates that your leave will start and end once we have all the information we need from you. As mentioned above, you can still change these dates with appropriate notice.

Pay during adoption leave

For non-GPs

You’re legally entitled to get statutory adoption pay (SAP) during your adoption leave, if you meet the eligibility requirements below.

More information can be found on the Gov.uk website.

For GPs

Salaried GPs get the following adoption pay, if you have been in >12 months’ continuous service with the NHS at the beginning of the 11th week before the EWC. If you have <12 months’ continuous service you get the same pay as non-GPs, subject to the eligibility requirements above.

Coming back to work

We’ll try to make coming back to work as easy as possible after your adoption leave!

If you’re thinking about changing your hours when you come back, you can find out more about it on our 🧘Flexible Working page. You might also want to consider taking 👪Shared parental leave if that’s better for you and your partner.

KIT days

During your leave you can take 10 keeping in touch (KIT) days. These are days when you can come back to work without ending your leave (but they don’t extend your period of leave). This can be any work under your job description, and includes any training or activity that keeps you in touch with the workplace. KIT days have no impact on your entitlement to statutory pay.

Annual leave entitlement

Your annual leave entitlement will continue to accrue throughout your leave, i.e. though you’re not working during your leave, you are still entitled to take all of your annual leave from this period of time. For example, if you took the full 52 weeks of maternity leave, you would accrue 28 days of annual leave.

Annual leave accrued during your leave needs to be taken within the holiday year (1st Jan to 31st Dec) once you come back to work. Often people chose to take their annual leave in one go at the end of their leave (effectively extending their leave period), before they return to work.

FAQs