UK Time

GMT vs BST: What Is the Difference?

GMT and BST are the two times the UK uses. GMT is the winter time and BST is the summer time, one hour ahead.

At a glance

GMT, Greenwich Mean Time, is UTC+0 and applies from the last Sunday of October to the last Sunday of March. BST, British Summer Time, is UTC+1 and applies for the rest of the year.

Which should I write in a meeting invite?

If you write 14:00 GMT in July you are technically describing a time that is 15:00 on UK clocks. It is safer to write 14:00 UK time, or 14:00 London, so the recipient's calendar picks the correct offset.

UK time is the neutral name that covers both. Calendar apps handle it automatically when you set the time zone to Europe/London.

Frequently asked questions

Is London on GMT or BST today?

The live clock on our home page shows the current label. London is on BST between the last Sunday of March and the last Sunday of October.

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