Time in London Now: Current Local Time, GMT/BST & DST Changes

Anyone who has glanced at a clock while planning a call to London knows the sinking feeling: is it GMT or BST? The answer changes twice a year, and the confusion extends beyond simple timekeeping — it affects travel, sleep, and even cross-border scheduling with Ireland. This guide cuts through the confusion, explaining the current time in London, the rhythm of daylight saving, and why Dublin and London never differ.

Current Time Zone: British Summer Time (BST) · UTC Offset: UTC+1 · Daylight Saving: Active (since last Sunday in March) · Next Clock Change: Fall back to GMT on last Sunday in October · Standard Time Zone: Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) · Time Difference with Dublin: Same (both on BST/GMT synchronously)

Six key facts about London time, one pattern: the city follows the same UTC offset as most of Western Europe during summer, but shifts back to GMT in winter — a rhythm that aligns perfectly with Dublin.

What time is it in London, UK just now?

Current local time in London

As of May 2026, London is on British Summer Time (BST), which is UTC+1. The IANA time zone identifier for London is Europe/London (UTCTime.net (BST time now)). For the most accurate live reading, services like time.is update every second.

Whether London is on BST or GMT

London uses BST from the last Sunday in March until the last Sunday in October, then switches to Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) for the winter months. Right now — mid-May 2026 — London is firmly in BST (World Time Buddy (timezone identifier)).

Is London now on GMT time?

Difference between GMT and BST

Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) is the standard time used when the UK is not observing daylight saving — it is UTC+0. British Summer Time (BST) is UTC+1, meaning one hour ahead of GMT (GreenwichMeanTime.com (historical time reference)).

When London switches between them

Switches happen on the last Sundays of March and October. In 2026, BST began on March 29 at 01:00 GMT. That means London is not on GMT right now — it is on BST. GMT returns on October 25, 2026, when clocks fall back at 02:00 BST.

When do the clocks change?

Spring forward date

Clocks spring forward one hour at 01:00 GMT on the last Sunday of March. In 2026 that fell on March 29.

Fall back date

Clocks fall back at 02:00 BST on the last Sunday of October. For 2026, the date is October 25.

Why the UK changes clocks

The UK government states: “The clocks change on the last Sunday of March and the last Sunday of October” (GOV.UK (UK government guidance)). This practice dates back to 1916, when British Summer Time was first introduced during World War I to save fuel (Wikipedia (historical reference)). The pattern is fixed, but exact dates vary each year because of the “last Sunday” rule.

Is Dublin time the same as London?

Time zone of Dublin

Dublin uses the same time zones as London: Irish Standard Time (IST, UTC+1) in summer and Greenwich Mean Time (GMT, UTC+0) in winter.

Time zone of London

As established, London uses BST (UTC+1) in summer and GMT (UTC+0) in winter.

DST synchronisation

Both cities change clocks on the same dates — last Sunday in March and last Sunday in October — so there is never any time difference between them. This synchronisation is not automatic; it is a shared legislative choice between the UK and Ireland.

The implication: a call from Dublin to London at any hour will always show the same local time. No confusion, no math.

Do I lose an hour of sleep on Sunday?

Effect of spring forward

When clocks spring forward, the local time jumps from 01:00 AM to 02:00 AM, skipping one hour. That means you lose one hour of sleep on that Sunday.

Effect of fall back

In autumn, clocks fall back from 02:00 AM BST to 01:00 AM GMT, repeating that hour. You gain one hour of sleep.

How to adjust

For the spring change, go to bed a little earlier on Saturday night and expose yourself to bright light in the morning. For the autumn change, enjoy the extra hour — but be aware that your body clock may still wake you at the “old” time for a few days.

The pattern is clear: London time is a two-step dance between GMT and BST, with Dublin matching every step. For travellers and remote workers, the key consequence is simple — you never need to worry about a time difference between London and Dublin. But for anyone coordinating with New York, Tokyo, or Sydney, the twice-yearly shift can throw off schedules by an hour. Set a recurring reminder for the last Sundays of March and October, and use a live time service on the day. For anyone planning a conference call or a flight, the choice is straightforward: check the timezone before you book, or risk showing up an hour early or late.