For one week only, the UK US time difference is four hours, not five. Britain and the EU set their clocks back on Sunday, October 25, 2026, but most of the United States waits until Sunday, November 1. So until then, US news shows start an hour earlier than usual if you watch from London, Dublin, Berlin or Paris.
Key facts (as of October 2026)
- UK clocks went back one hour on Sunday, October 25, 2026, according to GOV.UK.
- US daylight saving time ends at 2 a.m. local time on Sunday, November 1, 2026, according to NIST.
- From October 25 to November 1, New York is 4 hours behind London and 5 hours behind Paris or Berlin, instead of the usual 5 and 6.
Why is the UK US time difference only four hours this week?
The two sides of the Atlantic change their clocks on different Sundays. That gap opens a short window when the usual offsets shrink by an hour.
In the UK, British Summer Time ended at 2 a.m. on October 25, when clocks fell back to 1 a.m. GOV.UK lists the same rule for 2027, when the change falls on October 31. The EU follows a matching rule. Under its summer-time directive, every member state switches at 1 a.m. GMT on the last Sunday in October, so Ireland, France, Germany, Spain and Italy all moved on the same night.
The US works differently. Since the Energy Policy Act of 2005, daylight saving time has ended on the first Sunday in November. In 2026 that is November 1. Clocks there fall back at 2 a.m. local time, so the change ripples across the country hour by hour.
Which US states don’t change at all?
Hawaii and most of Arizona stay on standard time all year, NIST notes. The Navajo Nation in Arizona does observe daylight saving time. Puerto Rico, Guam, the US Virgin Islands and American Samoa don’t change either.
What time is it in New York, Chicago and Los Angeles?
Here’s the quick version of the time difference between the UK and US time zones, for this week and for after November 1. Times assume you’re on UK time (GMT) or Central European Time (CET).
| US time zone | Behind London this week | Behind London from Nov 1 | Behind Paris/Berlin this week | Behind Paris/Berlin from Nov 1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eastern (New York, Washington) | 4 hours | 5 hours | 5 hours | 6 hours |
| Central (Chicago, Dallas) | 5 hours | 6 hours | 6 hours | 7 hours |
| Mountain (Denver) | 6 hours | 7 hours | 7 hours | 8 hours |
| Pacific (Los Angeles) | 7 hours | 8 hours | 8 hours | 9 hours |
Arizona is the odd one out. Because it skips daylight saving time, Phoenix stays 7 hours behind London all week, and it is still 7 hours behind after November 1.
What the UK US time difference means for US news
US networks schedule everything in Eastern Time, so the time difference between the UK and US decides when you can watch. For most of this week, any American show you watch live from Europe starts an hour earlier than you’re used to.
- Morning shows. A program that starts at 7 a.m. ET airs at 11 a.m. in London this week, instead of noon.
- Evening newscasts. A 6:30 p.m. ET newscast lands at 10:30 p.m. in London, rather than 11:30 p.m.
- Prime time. An 8 p.m. ET show starts at midnight in London and 1 a.m. in Paris or Berlin. That’s an hour earlier than normal, so it’s a good week to catch it live.
- Weekend shows. Sunday, November 1 is a changeover day. Shows before 2 a.m. ET follow the four-hour gap; after that, it’s five hours again.
If you follow American channels from Europe, our guide to watching US news channels abroad lists the official apps and services that work there. In the UK, CNN’s new subscription is another option, which we cover in our CNN All Access UK guide.
What about Pacific Time shows?
Late-night West Coast programs are hard to catch live from Europe at the best of times. This week, a 10 p.m. PT show starts at 5 a.m. in London instead of 6 a.m. However, most of those shows are also posted to official YouTube channels and network apps the next day.
Election night on November 3: back to five hours
The timing matters most for the US midterms. By election night on Tuesday, November 3, the US will be back on standard time. As a result, the usual five-hour gap between New York and London returns.
So when the first polls close at 6 p.m. ET in parts of Indiana and Kentucky, it will be 11 p.m. in London and midnight in Paris or Berlin. The big East Coast closings at 7 p.m. and 8 p.m. ET fall at midnight and 1 a.m. UK time. For a state-by-state list, see when polls close, in ET, GMT and CET. For the channels, read how to watch the US midterms in the UK and Europe.
How to watch US news live this week
The services don’t change with the clocks, only the start times do. Here are the official options, starting with the free ones.
- Free streams. Several US networks run free streaming channels, and some post live coverage on YouTube. Our streaming news section tracks which ones are available outside the US.
- Pay TV. In the UK, international feeds of some US channels are sold through pay-TV packages. Check your provider’s channel list.
- Apps. Network apps show their schedules in your local time, so they adjust automatically. Your phone and TV clocks will also adjust on their own.
The UK US time difference also affects live streams on YouTube, since those start on US time too. One practical tip: if you set a reminder for a US show this week, set it from the app’s listing, not from memory. That way, the one-hour shift is already built in.
Coming soon: the NewsLive streaming app. We’re building one subscription for live international news on Android, Roku, Fire TV and desktop. The service is under development — follow NewsLive for launch updates.
Frequently asked questions
What is the UK US time difference right now?
Between October 25 and the early hours of November 1, 2026, London is four hours ahead of New York. After the US changes its clocks on November 1, the gap goes back to five hours.
Why don’t the UK and US change their clocks on the same day?
Each sets its own rules. The UK and EU switch on the last Sunday in October. The US, by contrast, switches on the first Sunday in November, as set by the Energy Policy Act of 2005.
Does the time difference between the UK and US change again in spring?
Yes. In spring the gap shrinks again, because the US moves its clocks forward in March, a couple of weeks before the UK and EU do. For those weeks, New York is again four hours behind London.
