Spring forward, fall back – when the UK will change its clocks again and which celeb’s relative pushed for the change
Need to know
Spring forward, fall back – when the UK will change its clocks again and which celeb’s relative pushed for the change
Golden hour over Wallasey Town Hall. Photo by Colin Lane
Clocks Change: Your Essential Guide to British Summer Time
The annual transition to British Summer Time (BST) is nearly here, meaning lighter evenings are just around the corner. Here is a summary of the ten most important things you need to know about the time shift.
- When it happens (Date): The clocks officially change on the final Sunday of March to begin British Summer Time (BST). This year’s specific date for the shift is Sunday, March 29.
- The change itself (Time): The alteration occurs in the early hours of the morning to minimise disruption for most people across the UK. At 1 am, the clocks will automatically “spring forward” to 2 am.
- The effect on sleep/daylight: This annual time shift sadly means we will lose an hour of sleep that night. However, the positive result is that we will gain an extra hour of precious daylight in the evenings.
- How to remember: A popular, easy-to-remember phrase helps people recall the correct direction of the change. This is the time to “spring forward” in the spring, while you will “fall back” when autumn arrives.
- The end of BST: The current period of British Summer Time will last for seven months until the change back to standard time. The clocks will then be adjusted again on the last Sunday of October to return to Greenwich Mean Time (GMT).
- Origin of DST (Willett): The idea for Daylight Saving Time originated from a determined campaign at the beginning of the 20th century. William Willett, great-great-grandfather of Coldplay’s Chris Martin, was a prominent early advocate.
- Willett’s campaign: Willett published a pamphlet in 1907 called “The Waste of Daylight” to argue for the time change. His dedicated efforts eventually contributed to the passing of relevant legislation years later.
- Legislative reason: The Summer Time Act was ultimately passed by Parliament in 1916, during the height of the First World War. The primary motivation was to conserve fuel and increase the number of working daylight hours.
- Minimising disruption: The decision to change the clocks on a Saturday night/Sunday morning is a deliberate strategy. This timing helps to avoid major scheduling conflicts for local businesses and schools across the region.
- Device adjustments: Most modern, internet-connected technology like smartphones and computers will update themselves automatically. However, it is essential to manually check and adjust analogue clocks and older devices such as ovens.
Full story: When will clocks change and why we do it
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