What Is the Best Time to Call the UK?

The United Kingdom has two main time zones throughout the year:
 

1. Greenwich Mean Time (GMT): It is the standard time during the winter months, from the last Sunday in October to the last Sunday in March. GMT is the same as UTC+0.
    
2. British Summer Time (BST): During the summer months, from the last Sunday in March to the last Sunday in October, the time zone transits to the British Time Zone. During this period, it moves one hour ahead of GMT, which is UTC+1.

 The usual working hours in the UK are from 8/9 AM to 4/5 PM. So, it's best to call the United Kingdom within this time frame for individuals as well as business-related calls.

Every country has its time zones. So, while calling the UK, compare the time zone difference between the UK and the country where you are. Here’s a comparison with a few popular countries considering the best time to call the UK as 9 AM to 5 PM GMT or BST. 

From the US and Canada

The United States has 9 time zones, whereas Canada has 6 different time zones. Both the US and Canada share multiple similar time zones, such as Eastern, Central, Mountain, etc.
 

Here’s a comparison of the best time to call the UK from these countries, considering the business hours (9 AM - 5 PM) in the United Kingdom.
 

From Australia

Australia follows three different time zones, i.e., Australian Eastern Time, Australian Central Time, and Australian Western Time.
 

The time given below is the best time to call the UK from Australia.
 

 
From India

India follows only one-time zone, the Indian Standard Time (IST) UTC+5:30, which is five hours and thirty minutes ahead of the Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). And, as the UK follows UTC+1, India is four hours and thirty minutes ahead of the UK. If you are to place a call from India to the UK, then the appropriate hours would be 12:30 PM to 9:30 PM. 

 From Other European Countries

The European Union has 3 time zones: European Eastern, European Central, and European Western Time.
 

European Western Time: Western European countries (e.g., Ireland and Portugal) follow almost similar times to the UK. They're one hour behind the UK. Hence, calling between 8 AM and 4 PM is ideal.
 

European Central Time: Countries (e.g., France, Germany, Spain, Italy, etc.) that fall under this time zone are usually one hour ahead of the UK. So, the ideal time to call the UK is between 10 am and 6 pm.
 

European Eastern Time: Nations following Eastern Time (e.g., Finland, Greece, Romania, etc.) are usually two hours ahead of UK time. Hence, it would be appropriate to call between 11:00 AM and 7:00 PM.

When calling the UK or any other country, many make different mistakes that can disrupt communication or cause inconvenience. Here are some common pitfalls to avoid:
 

1. Not Considering the Time Differences: Forgetting about the time difference can lead to calling at inappropriate times. So, checking the local time before making a call would help you to make timely calls.
    
2. Calling During Public Holidays: The UK has several public holidays. So, before making a call, it would be better to check national holidays that can affect your contacts' availability.
    
3. Calling Too Early or Late: Even though it might be convenient for you to make early morning or late-night calls, it can sometimes be disturbing for the receiver. So, checking your recipients' consent before making such calls helps prevent inconvenience for you and the receiver.
    
4. Not Considering Working Hours: Always try to schedule business calls during standard UK working hours. Calling outside these hours can be unprofessional and might not get the desired response from your contacts.

The best time to call the UK is between 9 AM to 5 PM UK time. Before calling, adjust your local time with this time frame to avoid calling early or late. Also, always remember that the whole country follows the same time except for its overseas regions.
 

If you find it challenging to schedule calls to the UK, you can leverage Calilio’s VoIP phone system. With its smart features, you can easily set call reminders, track call times, and more. 

Additionally, we provide a UK virtual phone number, which you can use to call the UK at local rates.

UK time is stated as GMT (Greenwich Mean Time) during winter or BST (British Summer Time) during summer.

The best time for calling someone in the UK is between 9 AM and 5 PM. You can make personal calls at your and the recipient’s convenience.

No, the usual working hours in the UK start at 9 AM. So, it’s not considered too early to call a client in the UK at nine in the morning.