End of British Summer Time

The end of British Summer Time 2026 falls on Sunday 25 October. In 2027, the end of British Summer Time falls on Sunday 31 October.

Not an official day off

The dates of the end of British Summer Time, this year and in the years ahead.

When is the end of British Summer Time?

Date of the end of British Summer Time by year
YearDate
2025Sunday, 26 October 2025
2026Sunday, 25 October 2026
2027Sunday, 31 October 2027
2028Sunday, 29 October 2028
2029Sunday, 28 October 2029
2030Sunday, 27 October 2030
2031Sunday, 26 October 2031

Dates calculated from the statutory rules. Source: GOV.UK: UK bank holidays. More about our sources

The clocks go back

British Summer Time ends on the last Sunday in October. At 2am the clocks go back one hour to 1am, so that night is an hour longer. From then until the last Sunday in March the UK is on Greenwich Mean Time (GMT).

The change happens at the same moment as in the European Union. GMT is the UK's standard time; BST is one hour ahead of it.

What changes

After the change it gets light earlier in the morning and dark earlier in the evening. Phones and computers adjust themselves; other clocks need to be put back by hand.

People working a night shift work an extra hour. Most people adjust to the new time within a few days.

Will the clocks keep changing?

There have been proposals in Parliament to keep summer time all year or to move to Central European Time, but none has been adopted. For now the clocks change twice a year, on the last Sunday in March and the last Sunday in October.

Frequently asked questions

When is the end of British Summer Time 2026?

In 2026, the end of British Summer Time falls on Sunday 25 October.

Is the end of British Summer Time a day off?

No. The clocks change in the early hours of Sunday morning, and that night you gain an extra hour.

Do you get an extra hour in bed when the clocks go back?

Yes. At 2am the clocks go back to 1am, so the night from Saturday to Sunday is one hour longer.

See also

In other countries