Current Time in London, United Kingdom
Live local time in London with its UTC offset, daylight saving status and the time difference from your location.
London Europe/London
About time in London
London uses Greenwich Mean Time (GMT, UTC+0) as its standard time. During daylight saving time it switches to British Summer Time (BST, UTC+1). Daylight saving time starts on the last Sunday in March and ends on the last Sunday in October.
The prime meridian passes through Greenwich in London, which is why Greenwich Mean Time gave its name to the world's time reference. In winter London's clocks match UTC; in summer they are one hour ahead.
London gave its name to Greenwich Mean Time. In 1884 the International Meridian Conference chose the meridian through the Royal Observatory at Greenwich as longitude zero, and world time zones were counted from it. Today the UK uses GMT in winter and British Summer Time (UTC+1) from the last Sunday in March to the last Sunday in October.
The clock has not always followed that pattern. During the Second World War the country stayed on summer time all year and moved two hours ahead of GMT in summer, a system called British Double Summer Time. Between 1968 and 1971 the UK tried UTC+1 all year as an experiment and then went back. For calls, London overlaps the New York morning and the Asian afternoon, which makes it a common hub for global teams.
When do the clocks change in London?
Daylight saving dates for 2026 and 2027, taken from the IANA time zone database. Times are local time in London.
| Date | Clock change | New offset |
|---|---|---|
| Sunday, March 29, 2026 | 01:00 → 02:00 · forward 1 hour | BST, UTC+1 |
| Sunday, October 25, 2026 | 02:00 → 01:00 · back 1 hour | GMT, UTC+0 |
| Sunday, March 28, 2027 | 01:00 → 02:00 · forward 1 hour | BST, UTC+1 |
| Sunday, October 31, 2027 | 02:00 → 01:00 · back 1 hour | GMT, UTC+0 |
Other countries change on other dates, so the gap to London can move for a week or more. See when the clocks change around the world and what happens to recurring meetings.
Time difference between London and other cities
The table below is calculated live from your browser's time zone data, so it already includes today's daylight saving rules.
| City | Time there now | Compared with London |
|---|
Need a specific date? Use Time Compare to convert a future time with the right daylight saving offset.
Sunrise and sunset in London
Local times in London, calculated for its coordinates (51.51° N, 0.13° W). They can differ by a minute or two from official tables.
| Date | Sunrise | Sunset | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Today | |||
| March equinox (Mar 20, 2026) | 06:03 | 18:12 | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21, 2026) | 04:43 | 21:21 | 16h 38m |
| September equinox (Sep 22, 2026) | 06:46 | 19:00 | 12h 15m |
| December solstice (Dec 21, 2026) | 08:03 | 15:53 | 7h 49m |
Working hours in London converted to UTC
| Local time in London | UTC (standard time) | UTC (daylight saving) |
|---|---|---|
| 09:00 | 09:00 | 08:00 |
| 12:00 | 12:00 | 11:00 |
| 17:00 | 17:00 | 16:00 |
Convert London time
- New York to London
- London to Los Angeles
- London to Sydney
- London to New Delhi
- London to Chicago
- GMT: Greenwich Mean Time
Frequently asked questions about time in London
When do the clocks change in London in 2026?
In 2026, clocks in London go forward 1 hour on Sunday, March 29 at 01:00, and go back 1 hour on Sunday, October 25 at 02:00 (local time).
What time zone is London in?
London is in the Greenwich Mean Time zone (Europe/London). Its standard UTC offset is UTC+0, and it is UTC+1 during daylight saving time (British Summer Time).
Does London observe daylight saving time?
Yes. Daylight saving time starts on the last Sunday in March and ends on the last Sunday in October. During that period clocks in London are set to UTC+1.
When is the longest day of the year in London?
Around Jun 21, at the June solstice. The sun rises at 04:43 and sets at 21:21 local time, about 16h 38m of daylight. The shortest day is around Dec 21, with about 7h 49m.
What does a 09:00–17:00 working day in London look like in UTC?
A 09:00–17:00 working day in London is 09:00–17:00 UTC in standard time and 08:00–16:00 UTC during daylight saving time.