The UK observes British Summer Time (BST) from the last Sunday in March to the last Sunday in October. During BST, clocks move forward one hour (UTC+1 instead of UTC+0). Because prayer times are based on real solar events at your location and then expressed in your local clock time, the clock change directly affects every prayer time you see on this page.
What actually changes — and what doesn't
The astronomy doesn't change. Fajr still begins when the Sun is 18° below the horizon; Maghrib still begins at sunset. What changes is the clock time used to express those events. When BST begins in March, all prayer times jump forward by one hour. When clocks fall back in October, they move back by one hour.
The effect on each prayer
- Fajr: moves from approximately 05:00 (GMT) to 06:00 (BST) overnight in March — an immediate one-hour shift
- Dhuhr: moves from approximately 12:05 (GMT) to 13:05 (BST)
- Asr: similarly one hour later on the clock
- Maghrib: sunset remains a fixed astronomical event; the clock time shifts by one hour
- Isha: moves one hour later in BST, meaning later to bed for fasting Muslims
Does this affect fasting in Ramadan?
Significantly. If Ramadan falls in spring or early summer (as it has in recent years), Muslims are fasting during BST. The practical fasting window (Sehri ends at Fajr, Iftar is at Maghrib) is expressed in BST. When the clocks change mid-Ramadan, the Sehri and Iftar times on your timetable shift by an hour overnight. This site always shows times in the UK's current local time — BST or GMT — so your timetable updates automatically.
Does Jummah time change with BST?
Yes. Jummah replaces Dhuhr and follows the same solar calculation. When BST is in effect, Jummah will typically fall an hour later on the clock compared to winter. Many UK mosques adjust their fixed Jummah slots (e.g. 1:00 PM winter, 1:30 PM summer) to account for both BST and the shifting solar noon. Always check your local mosque's current schedule.
When do the clocks change in 2026?
- Clocks spring forward: 29 March 2026 at 01:00 GMT → 02:00 BST
- Clocks fall back: 25 October 2026 at 02:00 BST → 01:00 GMT
Practical tips
- Always check prayer times on the day — don't rely on a printed timetable from the week before a clock change
- Set your phone to auto-update time zone so app-based adhan reminders shift automatically
- For Sehri, give yourself extra margin on the night of the clock change — clocks spring forward during the early hours
- This site calculates times dynamically each day, so they always reflect the current local time including BST