Quick facts (2-minute guide)
- Date: Sunday 26 October 2025 (last Sunday of October)
- Exact time: 02:00 BST becomes 01:00 GMT (clocks go back one hour)
- What changes: The UK switches from British Summer Time (BST, UTC+1) to Greenwich Mean Time (GMT, UTC+0)
- What you’ll notice: Earlier sunrise and earlier sunset; evenings get darker sooner
- Where it applies: England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland
What this means for you
- Sleep: You gain an extra hour overnight between Saturday and Sunday.
- Commuting & plans: Sunday morning may feel lighter; late afternoon will get dark earlier.
- Work shifts: If you work overnight, confirm whether your employer counts the extra hour.
- Travel: Airlines, rail and coach services publish in local time—double-check Sunday departure times.
Devices: which update automatically?
- iPhone / iPad: Auto if Settings → General → Date & Time → Set Automatically is on.
- Android phones: Auto if Settings → System → Date & time → Set time automatically is on.
- Windows / Mac: Auto if “Set time automatically” is enabled and your region is United Kingdom.
- Smartwatches (Apple Watch, Wear OS, Garmin): Follow the phone once it updates.
- Manual clocks (oven, car, wall): change back one hour.
Easy mistakes to avoid
- Forgetting manual clocks (ovens, cars, boiler timers).
- Calendar invites across time zones: Re-check any calls with EU/US colleagues on Monday.
- Medication & baby routines: Keep alarms consistent; shift gradually if needed.
- Travel on Sunday AM: Re-download tickets/boarding passes and verify local time.
Why the UK changes clocks
The UK observes daylight saving to provide lighter evenings in summer (BST) and align with GMT in winter. Clocks go forward in spring and back in autumn.
The United Kingdom operates a biannual clock adjustment system known as Daylight Saving Time (DST) to optimize daylight utilization in accordance with seasonal variations in solar time. During the last Sunday of March, clocks are advanced by one hour to transition from Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) to British Summer Time (BST), effectively shifting one hour of daylight from the early morning to the evening. Subsequently, on the last Sunday of October, clocks are reverted by one hour to return to GMT, aligning civil time with mean solar time during the winter months. This practice is mandated to enhance energy efficiency, improve alignment with daylight hours, and maintain synchronization with international timekeeping standards.
