The main Ramadan fasting rules are the same for every Muslim in the UK. From true dawn (Fajr) until sunset (Maghrib), you do not eat, drink, smoke or have marital relations. The fast needs an intention, and it is a duty for every adult who is able to fast. If you break a fast without a valid reason, you must make it up, and in some cases pay Kaffarah. Eating or drinking by mistake does not break your fast.
Ramadan 2027 is expected to begin in the UK on Monday 8 February, with daily fasts of about 11 to 13 and a half hours. That makes it one of the easier Ramadans for British Muslims in many years. This guide from Human Concern International UK explains what breaks your fast and what does not, with UK fasting times, advice for work, school, travel and medicines, and what to do if you miss or break a fast.
A Ramadan fast means holding back from food, drink, smoking and marital relations from the start of Fajr until sunset, with the intention of fasting for Allah. Allah sets the limits in the Quran:
“And eat and drink until the white thread of dawn becomes distinct to you from the black thread of night. Then complete the fast until the night.” (Al-Baqarah 2:187)
This verse gives the two time limits of every fast. The fast starts at true dawn, which is the start of Fajr, not sunrise. It ends at sunset, when the time for Maghrib begins. In the UK, these times change every day and differ from city to city, so always use a local timetable.
Fasting is a duty for every Muslim who has reached puberty, is of sound mind, is healthy and is not travelling. Children are encouraged to practise, but they do not have to fast until puberty. People who are ill, travelling, pregnant, breastfeeding, elderly or menstruating are excused. Our guide to who is exempt from fasting in Ramadan explains each case.
Yes. The intention (niyyah) is made in the heart, and saying it aloud is not required. Most scholars say the intention for a Ramadan fast must be made before Fajr. The Hanafi school, which many UK mosques follow, allows it until shortly before midday, as long as you have not eaten. Waking up for suhoor with the plan to fast is itself an intention.
In Ramadan 2027, UK fasts start at Fajr, around 5:30am to 5:50am on the first day, and end at Maghrib, around 5pm. By the last days of Ramadan, Fajr moves to around 4:35am to 4:45am and Maghrib to around 5:55pm to 6:10pm. The clocks do not go forward until 28 March, so the whole of Ramadan 2027 runs on GMT.
Human Concern International UK calculated these times using an 18 degree Fajr angle:
| City | First fast (8 Feb) | Fast length | Last days (9 Mar) | Fast length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| London | 5:34am to 5:01pm | 11h 28m | 4:37am to 5:54pm | 13h 17m |
| Birmingham | 5:41am to 5:06pm | 11h 25m | 4:42am to 6:00pm | 13h 18m |
| Manchester | 5:42am to 5:04pm | 11h 22m | 4:42am to 6:01pm | 13h 19m |
| Glasgow | 5:51am to 5:04pm | 11h 14m | 4:44am to 6:07pm | 13h 23m |
UK mosques use different methods to set the start of Fajr. Some use 18 degrees, some use 15 degrees, and some use other approaches. A 15 degree timetable puts Fajr about 20 minutes later. UK mosques also differ on the start of Ramadan itself, because some follow a local moon sighting and others follow Saudi Arabia or another country. Both are valid scholarly positions, so follow your local mosque. If you live in the capital, our Ramadan timetable for London gives daily suhoor and iftar times.
No, you cannot drink water while you are fasting. Water breaks the fast in the same way as food. You can drink freely between Maghrib and Fajr, which in February 2027 gives UK Muslims around 12 hours each night to stay hydrated.
People who are excused from fasting, such as someone who is ill, may drink water during the day. If you swallow water by mistake, for example while rinsing your mouth, your fast is still valid as long as it was not on purpose.
Your fast is broken by anything you do on purpose that brings food, drink or similar into the body, and by a few other acts set out in the Quran and Sunnah. These include:
If one of these happens without a valid excuse, you must still hold back for the rest of the day out of respect for Ramadan, and make up the fast later.
Many everyday actions do not break your fast. The most important one is forgetting. The Prophet ﷺ said:
“Whoever forgets while he is fasting and eats or drinks, let him complete his fast, for it is Allah who fed him and gave him drink.” (Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim)
This hadith shows Allah’s mercy. A mistake made in forgetfulness is not counted against you. As soon as you remember, stop and carry on with your fast.
These actions also do not break the fast:
| Action | Does it break the fast? |
|---|---|
| Eating or drinking by mistake | No. Stop once you remember. |
| Brushing teeth or using miswak | No, as long as nothing is swallowed. |
| Rinsing mouth and nose in wudu | No, if water is not swallowed. Do it gently. |
| Showering or swimming | No, if no water is swallowed. |
| Blood tests and injections that do not nourish | No, according to most scholars. |
| Swallowing your own saliva | No. |
| A wet dream, or waking up in a state of janabah | No. Have ghusl and continue. |
| Kissing your spouse with self control | No, though it is best avoided if you fear going further. |
| A nosebleed or a cut | No. |
The Prophet ﷺ himself sometimes woke up in a state of janabah in Ramadan, then had ghusl and fasted (Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim). For rinsing the nose in wudu, he advised doing it thoroughly except when fasting (Sunan Abi Dawud and Jami at-Tirmidhi, graded sahih). That is why you rinse gently while fasting.
Scholars differ on inhalers and some drops, so ask a scholar you trust about your case. Tablets taken by mouth break the fast. Most scholars say eye drops do not. If you need medicine during the day, you may be excused from fasting, and your health comes first.
Before Ramadan, speak to your GP or pharmacist. Many medicines can be moved to suhoor and iftar times, and an NHS appointment, blood test or vaccine can often be booked around your fast. The British Islamic Medical Association publishes Ramadan health guidance each year for UK patients and doctors. Our guide to healthy Ramadan fasting has practical tips for suhoor and iftar.
You can fast at work in the UK with a little planning. Religion or belief is a protected characteristic under the Equality Act 2010, and many employers will agree to flexible hours, an earlier finish for iftar or a quiet space to pray if you ask. Acas, the UK workplace advice service, has guidance for employers on religion or belief at work. A short, friendly chat with your manager before Ramadan usually works best.
Travel is a valid reason not to fast. Allah says that whoever is ill or on a journey should make up the same number of days later (Al-Baqarah 2:184). Most scholars set the travel distance at around 48 miles (about 77 to 80 km), so a day trip from Manchester to London or from Birmingham to Cardiff can qualify. If you fast on a journey and find it easy, that is also allowed.
What you do depends on why the fast was broken. A fast missed for a valid reason is made up later. A fast broken on purpose without a valid reason must be made up, and Kaffarah may also be due.
| Situation | What to do |
|---|---|
| Ate or drank by mistake | Nothing. The fast is valid. |
| Missed fasts due to illness, travel, menstruation or pregnancy | Make up one day for each fast missed (qada) before the next Ramadan. |
| Cannot fast at all due to long term illness or old age | Pay Fidya: £5 per missed fast in 2027. |
| Broke the fast on purpose by eating or drinking | Make up the day. In the Hanafi school, Kaffarah is also due. |
| Had marital relations during a fast | Make up the day and pay Kaffarah, in all four schools. |
Kaffarah is the expiation for breaking a Ramadan fast on purpose without a valid reason. A man came to the Prophet ﷺ after having relations with his wife while fasting in Ramadan. The Prophet ﷺ told him to free a slave, or if he could not, to fast two months in a row, or if he could not, to feed sixty poor people (Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim).
Today, this means fasting 60 days in a row. If you truly cannot, you feed 60 people in need. With Human Concern International UK, Kaffarah for 2027 is £300 per broken fast and Fidya is £5 per missed fast. Our guide to Fidya and Kaffarah explains who must pay and how the meals are delivered.
Some actions do not break your fast but can empty it of reward. The Prophet ﷺ said:
“Whoever does not give up false speech and acting upon it, Allah has no need for him to give up his food and drink.” (Sahih al-Bukhari)
The aim of fasting is a better heart, not only an empty stomach. Lying, backbiting, swearing and arguing harm the fast from the inside. The Prophet ﷺ also taught that if someone insults or fights a fasting person, he should simply say, “I am fasting” (Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim). On a busy commute or a stressful day at work, a calm reply protects your reward.
The rules of fasting are a mercy. They protect your worship, make room for illness and travel, and give a clear path back when mistakes happen. When a fast cannot be kept, Fidya and Kaffarah turn it into meals for people in need.
Human Concern International UK is a registered charity (number 1206222) based in Manchester. We deliver your Fidya, Kaffarah, Zakat and Sadaqah as food and aid for struggling families, through trusted field teams who check eligibility first. Plan your Ramadan 2027 giving with our Ramadan 2027 UK guide, and if you are a UK taxpayer, tick Gift Aid on your Sadaqah to add 25% at no extra cost. Donate now.
What time is suhoor in the UK in Ramadan 2027?
Suhoor ends at Fajr, around 5:30am to 5:50am at the start of Ramadan 2027 and around 4:35am to 4:45am by the end, depending on your city and your mosque’s method.
Can I brush my teeth while fasting?
Yes. Brushing does not break your fast as long as you do not swallow toothpaste or water.
Does chewing gum break your fast?
Yes, flavoured gum breaks your fast because its taste and sugar are swallowed.
Can I eat suhoor after the Fajr adhan begins?
No. Suhoor must end when Fajr begins. Stop eating when the time for Fajr starts on your local timetable.
Can I get a blood test or vaccine at my GP while fasting?
Blood tests do not break the fast. Most scholars say injections that do not nourish, including vaccines, do not break it either.
When do I need to make up missed fasts?
Make up missed fasts before the next Ramadan begins. For Ramadan 2027 fasts, that means before Ramadan 2028, which is expected to begin in late January 2028.
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