Clocks in the UK will move forward by one hour at 1am on Sunday, March 29, 2026, marking the start of British Summer Time (BST). This change occurs a day earlier than in 2025 and a day later than in 2027, following the tradition of the last Sunday in March.
The clocks will then go back by one hour at 2am on Sunday, October 25, 2026, as the UK returns to Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) for the winter. This pattern of 'springing forward' and 'falling back' has been in place since the early 20th century.
The practice was championed by William Willett, an early promoter of BST and great-great-grandfather of Coldplay singer Chris Martin. Willett published a pamphlet in 1907 titled 'The Waste of Daylight', but his proposal involved advancing clocks by 80 minutes in four stages. He died in 1915, and the Summer Time Act was passed the following year, establishing the current system.
The change was initially adopted during World War I to conserve fuel, with the German army first turning clocks forward in April 1916. Many European governments, including the UK, soon followed. Today, about 70 countries observe some form of daylight saving time.
Most internet-connected devices, such as smartphones, will update automatically, but some manual clocks may need adjusting. The change means losing an hour of sleep, but it brings lighter evenings for the summer months.
