![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/af01ae30-a42a-11f0-ba96-81d873a15aec.jpg\")
Image source, Getty ImagesByBen Rich<\/p>\nImage source, Getty ImagesByBen Rich<\/p>\n
Lead Weather Presenter<\/p>\n
The clocks will go back by one hour in the UK on the last Sunday of October.<\/b><\/p>\n
It marks the end of British Summer Time (BST) and a return to Greenwich Mean Time (GMT), a shift that has been taking place for well over a century.<\/p>\n
Most of us will get an extra hour in bed – or at the pub – but it is not such good news for night shift workers who will have to spend an extra hour at work.<\/p>\n
The clocks go forward again in March 2026.<\/p>\n
You may already have noticed that the nights are drawing in – in fact we are currently losing four or five minutes of daylight every day.<\/p>\n
However the clock change will bring sunset forward by an hour in one fell swoop which may come as a shock to the system.<\/p>\n
What time do the clocks go back?<\/p>\n
The clock change happens at 02:00 BST on Sunday 26 October in the UK. <\/p>\n
The clocks will go forward again at 01:00 GMT on 29 March 2026, when we return to British Summer Time.<\/p>\n
The easy way to remember which way the clocks change is the phrase “spring forward, fall back”.<\/p>\n
In other words, we turn the time forward an hour in spring and back an hour in fall – or autumn.<\/p>\n
What is Daylight Saving Time?<\/p>\n
The first country to make use of Daylight Saving Time (DST)<\/a> was Germany, in 1916 during World War One.<\/p>\n It was intended to maximise evening daylight meaning less heating and lighting was needed, reducing fuel consumption during wartime.<\/p>\n Many other countries followed suit just a few weeks later, including the UK where it was named British Summer Time.<\/p>\n The time shift has mostly continued ever since, although during a short period in World War Two there was British Double Summer Time<\/a>, where the clocks went forward by two hours.<\/p>\n An experiment between 1968 and 1971 trialled year-round BST and there continue to be some debates<\/a> about whether the UK should wind its clocks forward permanently.<\/p>\n A permanent switch to BST would mean lighter evenings but darker mornings – especially in winter<\/p>\n Arguments for keeping the time zone in summer mode include a potential boost in economic productivity as well as a possible reduction in evening road accidents.<\/p>\n It would also eliminate the minor disruption caused to sleep patterns by the annual gaining – and losing – of an hour.<\/p>\n However, it would also mean some very gloomy winter mornings, especially in Scotland.<\/p>\n In Edinburgh and Glasgow the sun does not rise until around 08:45 GMT in the second half of December, which would equate to 09:45 BST.<\/p>\n It would leave Scottish commuters and schoolchildren making their winter morning journeys in darkness – bringing increased risks on the roads.<\/p>\n Will my clock change automatically?<\/p>\n Most smartphones, digital devices and even modern cars will adjust the time automatically when GMT begins.<\/p>\n However analogue clocks will need switching manually, especially important if you are relying on an old-fashioned alarm clock to wake you up.<\/p>\n And if you are anything like me the clock on the oven will present a particular challenge.<\/p>\n What countries have Daylight Saving Time?<\/p>\n We are certainly not alone in switching time zones twice a year.<\/p>\n Most of North America and Europe observes Daylight Saving Time, although only small parts of Asia, Oceania, South America and Africa take part.<\/p>\n However different countries change their clocks on different dates.<\/p>\n For example in the USA the switch takes place on 2 November this year, while in Egypt it happens on 30 October.<\/p>\n One benefit of an earlier sunset is that it might be easier to get out and capture it on camera.<\/p>\n If you do, feel free to sign up and send your photos to BBC Weather Watchers<\/a>.<\/p>\n![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/00e50be0-a438-11f0-9999-ddb3d6b71bc7.jpg\")
Image source, BBC Weather Watchers \/ Rainbow WatcherImage caption, <\/p>\n![\"Thin,](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/bbd1cc70-9526-11f0-84c8-99de564f0440.png\")
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