Diwali 2026 falls on Sunday, November 8 in the UK, the same calendar date as in India, as part of a 5-day festival running from Dhanteras on November 6 through Bhai Dooj on November 10. The fact that it lands on a Sunday is a genuine convenience for working families. No leave to book, no juggling school pickup schedules. You get the full day.

The five-day schedule for UK families

Here’s the full breakdown:

  • November 6 (Friday): Dhanteras. Buy gold, silver, or utensils in the evening. Many Indian jewellers in the UK run Dhanteras sales.
  • November 7 (Saturday): Choti Diwali / Narak Chaturdashi. Oil bath before sunrise. Light a few diyas in the evening.
  • November 8 (Sunday): Diwali / Lakshmi Puja. The main event. Puja during Pradosh Kaal (around sunset), followed by fireworks and sweets.
  • November 9 (Monday): Govardhan Puja / Annakut. Prepare 56 dishes (chhappan bhog) if your family follows this tradition, or at least a larger-than-usual thaali.
  • November 10 (Tuesday): Bhai Dooj. Sisters apply tilak to brothers.

Getting the puja timing right

The Lakshmi Puja muhurat is traditionally observed during Pradosh Kaal, the period around sunset. By early November, UK sunset happens noticeably earlier than in India, so the local Pradosh Kaal window falls at a different clock hour than an India-based published time.

To put real numbers on it: sunset in London on November 8 will be around 4:20 PM GMT, compared to roughly 5:40 PM IST in Delhi on the same date. That’s a big gap. Your Pradosh Kaal window in the UK starts more than an hour earlier than India’s. If you follow an India-published muhurat time, you’d be performing Lakshmi Puja well after your local Pradosh Kaal has passed.

A UK-specific consideration

Early November in the UK is close to the shift from British Summer Time to Greenwich Mean Time (the clocks typically go back in late October), so sunset times shift earlier in the days around Diwali. In 2026, clocks go back on October 25, so by November 8 you’re already on GMT. Confirm the exact sunset for November 8 in your specific UK city rather than assuming last year’s clock time. Sunset in Edinburgh, for instance, will be around 4:05 PM, roughly 15 minutes earlier than London.

Practical tips for Diwali in the UK

If you’re planning fireworks at home, check your local council’s rules. Many UK boroughs restrict firework noise after 11 PM (or 9 PM on non-bonfire-night dates). Since Bonfire Night (November 5) falls just three days before Diwali, some areas are more relaxed about fireworks that week, but it varies. Buying fireworks after November 5 can also mean better deals at local shops clearing stock.

For diyas and rangoli supplies, most Indian stores in Leicester, Southall, Wembley, and Rusholme stock up from mid-October. If you’re in a smaller city, ordering online by late October gives you a comfortable margin.

Check your city’s timing

Use the muhurat page with your UK city selected to see that day’s sunset, Rahu Kaal and Abhijit Muhurat, and plan Lakshmi Puja within the favorable window.