Clocks Go Back on Sunday as BST Ends Across the UK

The UK switches from British Summer Time to Greenwich Mean Time at 2am on Sunday 25 October 2026, with clocks falling back by one hour — meaning it will become 1am again at that moment. The change brings darker evenings but rewards most people with an extra hour in bed on Sunday morning. Sunset times across major UK cities on the day will be: London 4:45pm, Birmingham 4:48pm, Manchester 4:47pm, Cardiff 4:56pm, Edinburgh 4:43pm, Glasgow 4:45pm, and Belfast 4:57pm. Smartphones, computers and smart TVs will update automatically, but owners of traditional clocks, older cars and kitchen appliances will need to make the adjustment manually. The UK has observed clock changes since 1916, when the practice was introduced to make better use of daylight and conserve fuel during wartime. British Summer Time will return on 28 March 2027. There are currently no plans for the UK to abolish the twice-yearly change, though opinion is divided: a 2024 YouGov survey found 46 per cent of British people want to keep the clock changes, while 42 per cent favour scrapping them.