When do the clocks change in the UK?
UK clocks change on the last Sunday in March and the last Sunday in October every year. At 1:00 AM GMT in spring the clocks jump forward to 2:00 AM BST, and at 2:00 AM BST in autumn they fall back to 1:00 AM GMT.
Upcoming dates
| Year | Clocks forward | Clocks back |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Sun 29 March | Sun 25 October |
| 2027 | Sun 28 March | Sun 31 October |
| 2028 | Sun 26 March | Sun 29 October |
| 2029 | Sun 25 March | Sun 28 October |
Why we change the clocks
The UK adopted British Summer Time (BST) in 1916, partly to save coal during the First World War by giving daytime workers an extra hour of daylight in the evening. The current rules — last Sunday of March and last Sunday of October — were set by the Summer Time Act 1972 and the EU’s daylight saving directive of 2002. The UK retained these dates after leaving the EU.
There is recurring political and public debate about whether to keep changing the clocks. In 2018 the EU consulted on abolishing seasonal time changes and a majority of respondents supported abolition. The UK has not adopted that position.
The mnemonic
The traditional rhyme: “Spring forward, fall back.” Clocks go forward in spring (you lose an hour of sleep) and back in autumn (you gain one).
Is the day of the change a bank holiday?
No. The clocks change on a Sunday — the last Sunday of March in spring, and the last Sunday of October in autumn. The closest bank holidays are typically Good Friday and Easter Monday in spring (which can fall before or after the change depending on Easter’s position) and Summer bank holiday well before the autumn change.