The clocks go forward one hour this weekend, marking the start of British Summer Time and bringing lighter evenings across the UK.
Across the UK, the clocks change twice annually – once in the spring and once in autumn. They advance by one hour on the final Sunday in March and fall back by one hour on the final Sunday in October.
This adjustment is designed to maximise natural daylight throughout the spring and summer months, as both sunrise and sunset occur later in the day. This shift is expected to deliver brighter evenings for commuters, people enjoying outdoor pursuits, and those attending community events as the seasons change.
While most smartphones, computers, and numerous digital gadgets update automatically, households should remember to manually adjust clocks on appliances such as ovens, microwaves, and car dashboards.
What time do clocks go forward this weekend?
In 2026, the clocks advance one hour at 1am on Sunday, 29 March and retreat one hour at 2am on Sunday, 25 October – hence the expression, “spring forwards, fall back”.
This means we’ll enjoy extended daylight into the evening from late March onwards, as we enter British Summer Time (BST).
The time adjustment always occurs during the early hours to prevent disruption to travel, commerce and everyday routines.
Clocks are changed for daylight saving to better synchronise working hours with daylight, boosting productivity and diminishing reliance on artificial lighting throughout the working day.
While the March clock change means sacrificing an hour of sleep, it also gifts us an additional hour of daylight – a boon for full-time workers eager to make the most of lengthier evenings.
When did this clock-changing tradition begin?
The initial adjustment was introduced by the German Government in 1916 during World War One as an energy-saving measure — the longer the daylight hours, the less electricity required.
Numerous European governments, including Britain, quickly adopted this practice, leading to the birth of British Summer Time (BST), with the current system established in 1971.
This concept was taken a step further during World War Two, when the UK implemented British Double Summer Time. This involved advancing clocks two hours ahead of GMT during the summer months.
Even in winter, when clocks were wound back, they remained one hour ahead of GMT, again to optimise daylight usage and bolster wartime productivity.
Although initially a wartime expedient, daylight saving has endured in many countries, continuing to influence daily schedules, work patterns, and our experience of daylight throughout the year.
