UK clocks change twice in 2026 — forward in March and back in October. Live countdowns to both changes below. Last verified: 3 September 2026 — checked against GOV.UK.
Autumn clock change 2026 — clocks go back
Clocks go back — Sunday 25 October 2026
At 2am clocks go back to 1am — you gain one hour
Spring clock change 2026 — clocks went forward
The spring 2026 clock change already happened on Sunday 29 March 2026 at 1am when clocks moved forward to 2am. The UK entered British Summer Time (BST) — UTC+1. We lost one hour of sleep but gained longer evenings.
UK clock change dates 2026
The UK changes its clocks twice a year under the Summer Time Act 1972. Clocks go forward one hour in spring to create British Summer Time (BST), giving longer evenings. In autumn they go back one hour to return to Greenwich Mean Time (GMT). The change always happens on the last Sunday of March and the last Sunday of October. Scotland, England, Wales and Northern Ireland all change at the same time.
Common questions
Why do the clocks change on a Sunday?
It’s timed for the least disruption — changing overnight on a weekend avoids affecting most people’s work schedules.
Do all UK devices update automatically?
Most phones, computers and smart devices update automatically via their network or internet connection, but older clocks, ovens, and some car dashboards need to be changed manually.
Is there talk of the UK scrapping the clock change?
It’s been debated periodically in Parliament, but there’s no confirmed date for change — the twice-yearly shift remains UK law for now.
See also
See UK bank holidays 2026, check the next UK bank holiday countdown, use our UK working days calculator, or read When do the clocks change in the UK? for the full explanation.
See the full UK bank holidays 2026 list, check our next UK bank holiday countdown, or use our UK working days calculator to count days between dates.And our When do the clocks change in the UK?