Daylight planner

See your sunrise, sunset and hours of daylight so you can plan time outside.

Your details

Manchester, 21 October 2026

10 h 12 min

of daylight, sunrise to sunset

Sunrise07:47 BST
Sunset18:00 BST
Sun highest12:54
Compared with London that day-8 min
Light for your body clocktry to get outside within an hour or two of 07:47

From October to March the sun in the UK is too low for your skin to make vitamin D, so the NHS advises 10 micrograms a day as a supplement. Morning daylight helps set your body clock, which can make evenings sleepier at the right time.

Feeling low every autumn and winter? It might be more than winter blues: your GP can help.

The working

Manchester on 21 October 2026

Using the NOAA solar equations, the sun rises at 07:47 and sets at 18:00 BST, giving 10 h 12 min of daylight. Clocks go back on 25 October, so from then the times read an hour earlier in GMT.

Daylight across the UK

Longest and shortest days

Place	21 June	21 December
London	16 h 38 min	7 h 50 min
Manchester	17 h 2 min	7 h 28 min
Edinburgh	17 h 36 min	6 h 57 min
Lerwick	18 h 56 min	5 h 49 min

Making the most of it

For your body clock and mood

Get outside within an hour or two of waking, especially in winter
Take lunch outside on bright days
From October to early March, consider a 10 microgram vitamin D supplement, as the NHS advises
In summer, cover up or use sunscreen before you burn

Read with care

What this cannot tell you

Forecast weatherCloud does not change sunrise, but it changes how bright it is.
Cover every townPick the nearest place; a few minutes' difference is normal.
Measure UVFor sunburn risk, use the sunburn risk calculator.

Questions

Common questions

How many hours of daylight does the UK get in winter?

On the shortest day, about 7 h 50 min in London and under 6 hours in Shetland.

When do the clocks change?

They go forward on the last Sunday in March and back on the last Sunday in October.

Can I make vitamin D from winter sun?

Not in the UK. The NHS says between October and early March we do not make enough from sunlight.

What is the best time to get daylight?

Morning light is especially useful for setting your body clock.

Sources

Last checked 21 October 2026. Spotted something wrong? Tell us and we will fix it.

If the dark months get you down

Feeling low every autumn and winter can be seasonal affective disorder (SAD), and your GP can help. If things feel heavy at any time, you can refer yourself to NHS Talking Therapies, call Samaritans on 116 123 or text SHOUT to 85258.