GMT vs BST: Understanding UK Time Zones
The United Kingdom observes two time zones depending on the season: Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) during winter and British Summer Time (BST) during summer. GMT is UTC+0, while BST is UTC+1, creating a one-hour difference. The switch from GMT to BST occurs on the last Sunday of March at 01:00 GMT, when clocks spring forward to 02:00 BST. The return to GMT happens on the last Sunday of October at 02:00 BST, when clocks fall back to 01:00 GMT. To check the current time in the UK, visit Time.now. The table below shows which time zone applies each month in 2026.
| Month | Time Zone | UTC Offset | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | GMT | UTC+0 | Winter |
| February | GMT | UTC+0 | Winter |
| March | GMT (until 29th), BST (from 29th) | UTC+0 / UTC+1 | Clocks change on 29 March 2026 |
| April | BST | UTC+1 | Spring/Summer |
| May | BST | UTC+1 | Spring/Summer |
| June | BST | UTC+1 | Summer |
| July | BST | UTC+1 | Summer |
| August | BST | UTC+1 | Summer |
| September | BST | UTC+1 | Late Summer |
| October | BST (until 25th), GMT (from 25th) | UTC+1 / UTC+0 | Clocks change on 25 October 2026 |
| November | GMT | UTC+0 | Autumn/Winter |
| December | GMT | UTC+0 | Winter |
What is Greenwich Mean Time (GMT)?
Greenwich Mean Time is the mean solar time at the Royal Observatory in Greenwich, London. It is the standard time against which all other time zones are referenced. The UK uses GMT during the winter months, from late October to late March. GMT is also known as UTC+0 (Coordinated Universal Time). For more details, see our article on Greenwich Mean Time (GMT).
What is British Summer Time (BST)?
British Summer Time is the daylight saving time observed in the UK from late March to late October. BST is UTC+1, meaning clocks are set one hour ahead of GMT. The practice was introduced to make better use of daylight during the longer days of summer. For more information, visit British Summer Time (BST).
When Do the Clocks Change in 2026?
In 2026, the clocks spring forward from GMT to BST on Sunday, 29 March at 01:00 GMT. They fall back from BST to GMT on Sunday, 25 October at 02:00 BST. These dates follow the rule of the last Sunday of March and October respectively. For exact dates in future years, see British Summer Time 2026.
How to Remember Which Time Zone is Active?
A simple mnemonic is "Spring Forward, Fall Back" - spring clocks forward in March, fall back in October. Another way is to remember that BST is used when the weather is warmer (British Summer Time). If you are unsure, check Time.now for the current UK time. For worldwide comparisons, TimeRight.Now offers city times globally, and CurrentTime.now provides a multi-city world clock view.
GMT vs UTC: What's the Difference?
GMT and UTC are often used interchangeably, but there is a subtle difference. GMT is a time zone based on solar time at the Greenwich meridian, while UTC is an atomic time standard. In practice, the UK uses GMT as its civil time in winter, and it is equivalent to UTC+0. For a deeper explanation, read our comparison of GMT vs UTC.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Does the UK observe daylight saving time every year?
A: Yes, the UK has observed daylight saving time (BST) since 1916, with the current schedule of last Sunday in March to last Sunday in October established in 1972. There are ongoing debates about abolishing the change, but no changes have been implemented as of 2026.
Q: What is the time difference between London and New York?
A: When the UK is on GMT (winter), London is 5 hours ahead of New York (EST, UTC-5). During BST (summer), London is 5 hours ahead of New York (EDT, UTC-4). For a quick conversion, use London To New York Time.
Q: Are there any countries that use the same time zone as the UK?
A: Several countries and territories share GMT/BST patterns, including Ireland (IST), Portugal (WET/WEST), and the Canary Islands. However, many others use GMT year-round, such as Iceland and parts of West Africa.
Q: Why do we change the clocks?
A: The main reason is to make better use of daylight during the evening in summer. The idea was first proposed by Benjamin Franklin and later implemented in the UK during World War I to save fuel. Today, it is regulated by EU directives (although the UK has left the EU, it retains the same schedule).
Q: What would happen if the UK stopped observing BST?
A: If the UK stayed on GMT year-round, winter sunrises would be later (around 8:00-9:00) but summer sunrises would be very early (around 3:00-4:00), and evenings would be darker earlier. Conversely, staying on BST year-round would mean later sunrises in winter (around 9:00-10:00) but brighter evenings. Both options have pros and cons.
Q: How can I check the current UK time?
A: You can visit Time.now for the exact current time in the UK. For other European time zones, see European time and date, and for US time zones, see US time and date.