Maternity leave question

[makingsounds]

A part of Royal Mail's Maternity policy involves:

During your maternity leave, you’re entitled to
10 ‘keep in touch’ days so that you can take part
in relevant work or training. Before you start
your maternity leave, arrange with your
manager how you will keep in touch.

Are these 'keep in touch' days simply an option available?

Do these 'keep in touch' days attract a payment over and above Maternity pay or included in Maternity pay?

Thanks for any clarification...

[Wat69]

Keeping in touch days are optional not mandatory
Payment is your normal hourly rate but you can’t earn more than your standard rate so if you worked a KIT day when you where still in receipt of SMP then your salary would be capped at your normal amount, this is why most people do these KIT days when they are in the no pay portion of their maternity leave usually from weeks 39 to 52 if they are having the full year off, plus they are designed to ease you gently back into work so no point doing them earlier than this, some people also use them to attend any mandatory training that is required etc but probably not something that applies to RM !

[makingsounds]

Keeping in touch days are optional not mandatory
Payment is your normal hourly rate but you can’t earn more than your standard rate so if you worked a KIT day when you where still in receipt of SMP then your salary would be capped at your normal amount, this is why most people do these KIT days when they are in the no pay portion of their maternity leave usually from weeks 39 to 52 if they are having the full year off, plus they are designed to ease you gently back into work so no point doing them earlier than this, some people also use them to attend any mandatory training that is required etc but probably not something that applies to RM !

Thanks for the info.