Guide · Clocks go back

When do the clocks go back in the UK in 2026?

British Summer Time ends on Sunday 25 October 2026. In London the sun rises at 6:42 am that day instead of 7:40 am the day before, and it sets at 4:47 pm instead of 5:49 pm.

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When Do the Clocks Go Back in the UK? 25 October 2026
The short answer

When do the clocks go back in the UK?

The clocks go back in the UK on Sunday 25 October 2026 at 2 am, when British Summer Time ends and the UK returns to Greenwich Mean Time (Royal Observatory Greenwich, 2026). Clocks turn back one hour to 1 am, so that night is an hour longer. By the clock, sunrise and sunset both come about an hour earlier.

When do the clocks go back in 2026?

In the UK the clocks go back 1 hour at 2 am on the last Sunday in October, and forward 1 hour at 1 am on the last Sunday in March (GOV.UK). In 2026 that Sunday is 25 October.

Smartphones, computers and other devices with an internet connection should update on their own. Some watches and the clocks in cars and kitchens may not, so you may need to set those back by hand (Royal Observatory Greenwich, 2026).

  • 2026: clocks go forward on 29 March, back on 25 October
  • 2027: clocks go forward on 28 March, back on 31 October
  • 2028: clocks go forward on 26 March, back on 29 October

What are BST and GMT?

British Summer Time (BST) is the part of the year when UK clocks are 1 hour ahead. It gives more daylight in the evenings and less in the mornings. When the clocks go back, the UK is on Greenwich Mean Time (GOV.UK).

Summer time goes back to the Summer Time Act of 1916, which set legal time 1 hour ahead of GMT for part of the year (Royal Observatory Greenwich, 2026).

Do you gain or lose an hour when the clocks go back?

You gain one. At 2 am the clock goes back to 1 am, so the hour between 1 am and 2 am happens twice and you get an extra hour in bed (Royal Observatory Greenwich, 2026). People working a night shift at that time may work an extra hour (Royal Observatory Greenwich, 2026).

Countries in the EU also switch back on the last Sunday in October, so in 2026 they change on the same night as the UK (Royal Observatory Greenwich, 2026). The US uses its own rules and dates.

US and UK clock change dates, with a 4-day plan around the switch.

What changes for morning and evening daylight?

The daylight itself stays the same. Only the clock moves, and with it your alarm, your commute and the end of your workday. LightOtter calculated sunrise and sunset for the day before and the day of the change from the position of the sun. Times are local.

  • London: sunrise 7:40 am → 6:42 am, sunset 5:49 pm → 4:47 pm
  • Cardiff: sunrise 7:52 am → 6:54 am, sunset 6:01 pm → 4:59 pm
  • Manchester: sunrise 7:53 am → 6:55 am, sunset 5:53 pm → 4:51 pm
  • Belfast: sunrise 8:10 am → 7:12 am, sunset 6:05 pm → 5:03 pm
  • Edinburgh: sunrise 8:03 am → 7:05 am, sunset 5:50 pm → 4:48 pm

Sunrise and morning light by city and month: the full table.

How long do the lighter mornings last?

Not long. Days keep getting shorter after the change, and sunrise moves later again every morning. By LightOtter’s calculation, the sun rises in London at 7:42 am on 30 November, which is later than on the Saturday before the clocks went back. In Edinburgh it rises at 8:18 am that day.

So the brighter mornings of late October are a short window. If your morning routine starts in daylight now, it will probably start in the dark again by December.

Dark winter mornings: when to go out and how long to stay.

How can you adjust to the clocks going back?

An international expert consensus states that light in the morning can advance the circadian clock and light in the evening can delay it (Spitschan et al., 2025). A position statement of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine describes how the yearly switch between standard time and daylight saving time shifts the social clock against the sun (Rishi et al., 2024).

An international expert panel recommends at least 250 lux melanopic EDI at the eye indoors during the day, and to use daylight first where it is available. In the evening, starting at least 3 hours before bedtime, it recommends no more than 10 lux melanopic EDI (Brown et al., 2022).

These are general recommendations about light. They are not studies of the clock change itself, and research does not name one dose that suits every person (Piper et al., 2026).

In practice that means keeping your usual wake-up time by the new clock, getting outside in the first part of the morning and dimming the lights in the evening. LightOtter’s own rule of thumb, an estimate and not a measurement, is about 10 minutes outside on a clear morning and 20 to 25 when it is overcast. Never look directly at the sun.

Will the UK stop changing the clocks?

For now the clocks still change twice a year. In 2019 the European Parliament backed a proposal to end clock changes in EU states, but no final decision has been taken (Royal Observatory Greenwich, 2026).

In the US, the American Academy of Sleep Medicine calls for ending seasonal time changes in favor of permanent standard time (Rishi et al., 2024).

What this is not

The sunrise and sunset times on this page are calculations for the cities listed. Weather, hills and buildings change what you see where you live. This is not medical advice, and LightOtter is not a medical device. If you feel tired for a long time after the clocks change, talk to a doctor.

Questions about the clocks going back

What time do the clocks go back in the UK?

At 2 am on Sunday 25 October 2026. The clocks go back one hour to 1 am (Royal Observatory Greenwich, 2026).

Is it lighter in the morning when the clocks go back?

Yes, by the clock. By LightOtter’s calculation, the sun rises in London at 6:42 am on 25 October instead of 7:40 am the day before. In return it gets dark earlier: sunset moves from 5:49 pm to 4:47 pm.

Do the clocks go back on the same day in Europe?

In 2026, yes. EU countries also switch back on the last Sunday in October (Royal Observatory Greenwich, 2026), which is 25 October.

Will my phone change automatically?

Smartphones and computers with an internet connection should update on their own. Some watches and clocks in cars and kitchens may not (Royal Observatory Greenwich, 2026).

Sources

  1. GOV.UK. When do the clocks change? (accessed 14 October 2026).
  2. Royal Observatory Greenwich (2026). When do the clocks go back? Royal Museums Greenwich (accessed 14 October 2026).
  3. Brown, T. M., et al. (2022). Recommendations for daytime, evening, and nighttime indoor light exposure to best support physiology, sleep, and wakefulness in healthy adults. PLOS Biology 20(3): e3001571.
  4. Spitschan, M., et al. (2025). Evidence-based public health messaging on the non-visual effects of ocular light exposure: a modified Delphi expert consensus. BMJ Public Health 3(2): e003205.
  5. Piper et al. (2026). Bright days, dark nights (policy brief). Public Health Reviews 47.
  6. Rishi, M. A., et al. (2024). Permanent standard time is the optimal choice for health and safety: an American Academy of Sleep Medicine position statement. Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine 20(1): 121–125.

Last reviewed: October 2026