TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Though winter’s charm still fills the air, it’s almost that time of year to put the clocks forward by an hour. By that token, daylight savings in the UK will begin in just a month, bringing longer, brighter evenings to enjoy throughout the summer.
But that extra hour of sunlight might seem like merely a minor shift if you don’t fully understand how it works. Worry not, Tempo English has prepared a handy guide to help you navigate the British Summer Time (BST) smoothly and confidently, citing TimeOut and GOV.UK.
What does daylight savings mean for the UK?
Daylight savings in the UK is the period when the country shifts from Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) to British Summer Time (BST), setting the clocks forward by one hour. This essentially means enjoying a summer where evenings feel longer and brighter, allowing people to make better use of natural daylight well into the night.
When does daylight savings in the UK start?
Following the usual pattern, daylight savings UK 2026 begins on the last Sunday in March, falling on March 29. At precisely 1:00 am GMT, clocks jump forward to 2:00 am BST, making that night an hour shorter. And when the daylight arrives, people are welcomed to enjoy longer evenings across the country.
When does daylight savings UK end?
British Summer Time ends on the last Sunday in October. This year, that falls on October 25. At 2.00 am BST, clocks move back to 1.00 am GMT, bringing an extra hour in bed as the UK returns to standard time.
Why does daylight savings UK happen?
According to Yahoo!, the concept dates back to 1907 in the United Kingdom as a way to make better use of natural sunlight during the longer days.
A Kent builder named William Willett popularized the idea due to his frustration of seeing people sleeping through bright summer mornings. Willett then self-funded a pamphlet titled The Waste of Daylight and initially proposed shifting the clocks by a total of 80 minutes in gradual steps across the season.
His campaign eventually reached the House of Commons. However, it wasn’t until Germany introduced daylight saving time in 1916 during the First World War that the UK adopted the same system shortly after.
The scheme was revised several times over the decades. During the Second World War, for instance, Britain experimented with “British Double Summer Time,” setting clocks two hours ahead of standard time. In the late 1960s and early 1970s, there was also a trial period when clocks were moved forward but not turned back in winter.
Those experiments did not last. The version that ultimately endured is the familiar one observed today.
How do clocks change for daylight savings UK?
When the day arrives, most smartphones, laptops, and other digital devices update to the shift automatically. However, analogue clocks and some car dashboards still require manual adjustment to reflect the new time.
Will daylight savings in the UK be stopped?
The question of abolishing daylight saving time has been debated for years. As TimeOut reported, some scientists argue that turning the clocks back and forth disrupts the body’s natural clock and may negatively affect overall health.
Across the wider European Union, lawmakers voted in 2023 to stop mandatory seasonal clock changes, although the decision has yet to be fully implemented by member states. In the United Kingdom, however, there are currently no concrete plans to abolish the system. Still, public opinion remains divided.
Read: 10 Best Places to Visit in the UK, From Crowd Favorites to Hidden Gems
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