UK time: GMT and BST
The UK uses Greenwich Mean Time (GMT, UTC+0) in winter and British Summer Time (BST, UTC+1) in summer. In 2026 the clocks go back one hour at 2 a.m. on Sunday, October 25, and London returns to GMT. London is usually 5 hours ahead of New York and 8 hours ahead of Los Angeles; for one week, until the US changes its clocks on November 1, the gaps are 4 and 7 hours.
By Asier Fernández ·
Right now in London: --:--:--
When do the UK clocks change?
| Year | Clocks go forward (BST starts) | Clocks go back (GMT returns) |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Sunday, March 29 | Sunday, October 25 |
| 2027 | Sunday, March 28 | Sunday, October 31 |
| 2028 | Sunday, March 26 | Sunday, October 29 |
The clocks go forward 1 hour at 1 a.m. on the last Sunday in March and back 1 hour at 2 a.m. on the last Sunday in October (GOV.UK). In law, summer time runs from 1 a.m. GMT on the last Sunday in March to 1 a.m. GMT on the last Sunday in October, and during it the time is “one hour in advance of Greenwich mean time” (Summer Time Act 1972, section 1).
Convert UK time
How many hours ahead is the UK?
| Dates | Ahead of Eastern | Ahead of Central | Ahead of Pacific |
|---|---|---|---|
| Until Saturday, October 24, 2026 | 5 hours | 6 hours | 8 hours |
| Sunday, October 25, 2026 to Saturday, October 31, 2026 | 4 hours | 5 hours | 7 hours |
| Sunday, November 1, 2026 to Saturday, March 13, 2027 | 5 hours | 6 hours | 8 hours |
| Sunday, March 14, 2027 to Saturday, March 27, 2027 | 4 hours | 5 hours | 7 hours |
| Sunday, March 28, 2027 to Saturday, October 30, 2027 | 5 hours | 6 hours | 8 hours |
| Sunday, October 31, 2027 to Saturday, November 6, 2027 | 4 hours | 5 hours | 7 hours |
| From Sunday, November 7, 2027 | 5 hours | 6 hours | 8 hours |
The UK and the US change their clocks on different Sundays: the UK on the last Sundays of March and October, the US on the second Sunday in March and the first Sunday in November (15 U.S.C. 260a). For a week or two around each change, the usual 5-hour gap to New York becomes 4.
UK time to US time, hour by hour (winter)
| London | Eastern Time | Central Time | Pacific Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12:00 a.m. | 7:00 p.m. (−1 day) | 6:00 p.m. (−1 day) | 4:00 p.m. (−1 day) |
| 1:00 a.m. | 8:00 p.m. (−1 day) | 7:00 p.m. (−1 day) | 5:00 p.m. (−1 day) |
| 2:00 a.m. | 9:00 p.m. (−1 day) | 8:00 p.m. (−1 day) | 6:00 p.m. (−1 day) |
| 3:00 a.m. | 10:00 p.m. (−1 day) | 9:00 p.m. (−1 day) | 7:00 p.m. (−1 day) |
| 4:00 a.m. | 11:00 p.m. (−1 day) | 10:00 p.m. (−1 day) | 8:00 p.m. (−1 day) |
| 5:00 a.m. | 12:00 a.m. | 11:00 p.m. (−1 day) | 9:00 p.m. (−1 day) |
| 6:00 a.m. | 1:00 a.m. | 12:00 a.m. | 10:00 p.m. (−1 day) |
| 7:00 a.m. | 2:00 a.m. | 1:00 a.m. | 11:00 p.m. (−1 day) |
| 8:00 a.m. | 3:00 a.m. | 2:00 a.m. | 12:00 a.m. |
| 9:00 a.m. | 4:00 a.m. | 3:00 a.m. | 1:00 a.m. |
| 10:00 a.m. | 5:00 a.m. | 4:00 a.m. | 2:00 a.m. |
| 11:00 a.m. | 6:00 a.m. | 5:00 a.m. | 3:00 a.m. |
| 12:00 p.m. | 7:00 a.m. | 6:00 a.m. | 4:00 a.m. |
| 1:00 p.m. | 8:00 a.m. | 7:00 a.m. | 5:00 a.m. |
| 2:00 p.m. | 9:00 a.m. | 8:00 a.m. | 6:00 a.m. |
| 3:00 p.m. | 10:00 a.m. | 9:00 a.m. | 7:00 a.m. |
| 4:00 p.m. | 11:00 a.m. | 10:00 a.m. | 8:00 a.m. |
| 5:00 p.m. | 12:00 p.m. | 11:00 a.m. | 9:00 a.m. |
| 6:00 p.m. | 1:00 p.m. | 12:00 p.m. | 10:00 a.m. |
| 7:00 p.m. | 2:00 p.m. | 1:00 p.m. | 11:00 a.m. |
| 8:00 p.m. | 3:00 p.m. | 2:00 p.m. | 12:00 p.m. |
| 9:00 p.m. | 4:00 p.m. | 3:00 p.m. | 1:00 p.m. |
| 10:00 p.m. | 5:00 p.m. | 4:00 p.m. | 2:00 p.m. |
| 11:00 p.m. | 6:00 p.m. | 5:00 p.m. | 3:00 p.m. |
GMT, for example January 15, 2027. In summer (BST and US daylight time) the gaps are the same.
Is UK time the same as GMT?
Only in winter. From late March to late October the UK is on BST, one hour ahead of GMT. An Act of Parliament that mentions a time of day means GMT unless it says otherwise, subject to the summer time rules (Interpretation Act 1978, section 9). GMT itself never changes: see GMT time.
Night shifts when the clocks change
On Sunday, October 25, 2026 the hour from 1:00 to 2:00 a.m. happens twice, so a 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. night shift lasts 9 hours and a 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. shift lasts 13. On March 28, 2027 the clocks jump from 1:00 to 2:00 a.m. and the same shifts last 7 and 11 hours. Whether the extra hour is paid depends on your contract. Rest breaks and the 48-hour average week still apply: see UK working time rules for shift workers and how many night shifts in a row.
More guides
Figures are worked out from each cycle; rules checked against official sources on . How we calculate
Questions
Is America five hours behind the UK?
New York and the rest of the Eastern zone are usually 5 hours behind the UK. Chicago is 6 hours behind and Los Angeles 8. For a week or two in March and around the end of October the gap is one hour less.
Is the UK on GMT or BST now?
BST until 2 a.m. on Sunday, October 25, 2026, then GMT until 1 a.m. on Sunday, March 28, 2027.
When do the clocks go back in the UK in 2026?
Sunday, October 25, 2026 at 2 a.m. BST, which becomes 1 a.m. GMT. They go forward again on Sunday, March 28, 2027.
Is London time the same as GMT?
In winter, yes. In summer London is on BST, GMT+1.
What time is it in England when it is noon in New York?
5:00 p.m. for most of the year; 4:00 p.m. in the weeks when the US and UK clock changes do not line up.