The clocks will change in a matter of weeks
The UK is preparing to revert back to Greenwich Mean Time in the coming weeks, which means an extra hour of sleep for everyone. During the summer months, we adjust our clocks forward, waking up earlier to enjoy more sunlight.
However, as the chillier nights set in and evenings become darker, we turn our clocks back again for the winter season. The exact date varies each year, but in 2024, the clocks will be set back by an hour at 2am on Sunday, October 27.
The next change won’t occur until the last Sunday of March 2025, when the clocks will spring forward one hour, just in time for the summer. As explained on the UK Government’s website: “In the UK, the clocks go forward one hour at 1 am on the last Sunday in March and back one hour at 2am on the last Sunday in October.”
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The period when the clocks are one hour ahead is called British Summer Time (BST). There’s more daylight in the evenings and less in the mornings (sometimes referred to as Daylight Saving Time). When the clocks go back, the UK is on Greenwich Mean Time (GMT). To help remember this, some people use the phrase: “spring forward, fall back”.
Why do the clocks change annually?
The tradition, which started in 1916, saw Germany become the first country to adopt Daylight Saving Time with the aim of conserving energy during World War One. The UK followed suit a few weeks later after Germany along with many other countries dotted across Europe.
Before this, William Willett – the great-great-grandfather of Coldplay’s Chris Martin – campaigned in Britain to change the clocks. It is said he was annoyed because his golfing would be interrupted by the sun going down but his campaign was unsuccessful.
Now, some places across the world, including several states in America do not change their clocks until a later date compared to the UK – this year being November 5, 2023. Whereas the likes of Africa and Asia along with those along the equator do not change their clocks at all.
Will I need to update my mobile phone?
Mobile phones should automatically update with the new times depending on the model you own. Apple iPhones, iPads and Macs update automatically, but it is advised you check you have ‘set automatically’ turned on in your ‘date and time’ settings. If you have an Android phone, it is also advised that you check you have ‘automatic updates’ set to your phone.
