It’s October and officially autumn. In just a few weeks, the UK will be swapping British Summer Time for Greenwich Mean Time, putting all our clocks back by an hour and plunging our evenings back into darkness.

While we might have to get used to the sun setting well before most of us have even left the office, GMT does mean an extra hour in bed (well, at least on the first day) and the season of cosy pubs. Before we know it, the countdown to Christmas will be well and truly on. Time flies.

From the exact date the clocks go back to why we do it in the first place, here’s everything you should know about the end of British Summer Time this year.

What date do the clocks go back in 2026?

The clocks will go back by an hour to mark the end of British Summer Time (BST) on Sunday October 25.

What time do the clocks go back?

The clocks will fall back one hour at 2am. So, it’ll become 1am again.

What is Greenwich Mean Time?

Greenwich Mean Time or GMT is the UK’s standard time zone during the winter months, once the clocks have gone back and we’ve dropped British Summer Time (AKA daylight saving time).

Why do the clocks go back?

The UK first started changing its clocks back in 1916, as a way of making better use of daylight hours and saving fuel during the war. Once we hit the point in autumn where sticking with British Summer Time would mean unnecessarily dark mornings, we put the clocks back to stop the sun from rising too late, moving the daylight to where it’s needed most.

When do the clocks go forward again?

British Summer Time will return on March 28 2027, when we’ll put the clocks forward again.

Do I need to change the clocks myself?

Clocks on things like phones, computers, smart TVs and modern cars will change on their own. But you will have to adjust the time yourself on older or more manual timekeeping devices like traditional clocks, some cars and kitchen appliances.

Sunset times after the clocks go back

Here’s where the sun will set in major UK cities on Sunday October 25, once the clocks have gone back.

Will the UK stop doing daylight savings?

Some scientists argue that changing the clocks twice a year disrupts our natural circadian rhythms and harms overall wellbeing, leading to calls for the daylight savings to be abolished completely.

The European Union actually voted to end mandatory daylight saving time back in 2019, though the change has not yet taken effect. Meanwhile, the UK has no current plans to abandon the tradition. Public opinion remains highly divided, as a 2024 YouGov survey showed that British citizens are closely split on the matter, with 46 per cent in favour of maintaining the clock changes and 42 per cent supporting their removal.

Where else in the world do clocks change?

There are around 70 countries that adopt daylight saving time in some form. Here’s the full list of those territories that do (outside the UK).


Akrotiri and Dhekelia
Albania
Andorra
Australia (partial)
Austria
Bahamas
Belgium
Bermuda
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bulgaria
Canada (partial)
Chile (partial)
Croatia
Cuba
Cyprus
Czechia
Denmark
Egypt
Estonia
Faroe Islands
Finland
France
Germany
Gibraltar
Greece
Greenland (partial)
Guernsey
Haiti
Hungary
Italy
Ireland
Isle of Man
Israel
Jersey
Kosovo
Latvia
Lebanon
Liechtenstein
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Malta
Mexico (partial)
Moldova
Monaco
Montenegro
Netherlands
New Zealand
North Macedonia
Norway
Palestine
Poland
Portugal
Romania
San Marino
Serbia
Slovakia
Slovenia
Spain
Sweden
Switzerland
Turks and Caicos
Ukraine
United States (partial)
Vatican City

Make the most of the darker evenings – these are the best things to do in the UK this autumn.

Plus: here are the UK’s best pubs for 2026 if you fancy somewhere cosy to hide from the dark.

Stay in the loop: sign up to our free Time Out UK newsletter for the latest UK news and the best stuff happening across the country.