When do the clocks go back? Daylight Saving Time 2024 explained for the UK

Autumn brings pleasant comforts as the leaves change colour and mornings turn crisp - but it also marks the .

Clocks will go back an hour in the UK during the early hours of Sunday October 27. This marks a return to Greenwich Mean Time (GMT).

Brits will continue to stay on GMT until Sunday March 30 next year when clocks will go forward an hour later. But this Sunday the return to GMT means Brits will enjoy an extra hour in bed.

The has shared an easy way to remember which way the clocks change. "Think of the seasons: In spring the clocks 'spring forward,' while in autumn they 'fall back.;"

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Why do the clocks change?

Daylight saving is used to increase summer daylight hours in the northern hemisphere. When the summer is over, the clocks change back in the hope it conserves more daylight during the working day.

DST started being used following a successful campaign in the start of the 20th century that argued in favour of changing the clocks in the summer in order to avoid wasting time in the morning. Arguments in favour of DST include:

• Reducing energy consumption for environmental reasons
• Having longer evenings to support leisure and tourism
• Encouraging people to exercise more outdoors
• Reducing road accidents.

Do clocks go forward at the same time every year?

No. Clock Next year the clocks go forward on March 30 and back on October 26.

But in 2026, DST starts on March 29 and ends on October 25.

Are there any downsides to DST?

While the UK and many other countries observe DST and summer time, there are several arguments against it. According to Royal Greenwich Museums these include:

• The inconvenience of changing the clocks twice a year
• Safety concerns about darker mornings
• Some farmers expressing concerns about the effect changing clocks have on livestock
• The apparent redundancy of it given the vast majority of people in the UK spend our time in well-lit environments
• The increased energy consumption