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When do the clocks go forward and daylight savings start in 2025?

Everything you need to know about when and why the clocks are jumping forward in the UK

Amy Houghton
Written by
Amy Houghton
Contributing writer
Sunset at Kynance Cove
Photograph: Lucian Milasan / Shutterstock
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It’s that time of year again. After a months and months of chilly nights, grey mornings and dark afternoons, we’re finally going to get some more light in our lives thanks to the arrival of spring and daylight saving. 

At the end of this week, we’ll be pushing time an hour forward and moving from Greenwich Mean Time into British Summer Time (aka Daylight Saving Time). Our days will become longer, the sun will go down later and we’ll once again get to enjoy warm golden hour walks, trips to the beach, beer garden gatherings and music festivals

So, here are all your questions about daylight saving and clocks going forward, answered. 

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When do the clocks go forward in the UK 2025?

All of our clocks will go forward by an hour and switch to British Summer Time on Sunday, March 30 at 1am. 

Do we lose or gain an hour when daylight saving starts?

It can get confusing but the clocks going forward means that we skip an hour in the day (1am becomes 2am), so we’ll lose an hour of sleep. Initially, mornings will be slightly darker but you’ll notice that evenings will be lighter as the sun sets later.

Why do we have daylight saving in the UK?

Daylight saving became a thing in the UK in 1916 as a way of making better use daylight hours and getting maximum sun. Back then, it meant people could work for longer and save fuel during the war. More than 70 countries around the world also follow daylight savings. 

Is daylight saving bad for us? 

There are scientists that say turning the clocks back and forth messes with our natural body clock and argue that daylight saving should be scrapped altogether. You can read more about that here

When do clocks go back again?

We’ll turn our clocks back again in the autumn on October 26. 

Spring 2025 

This is your reminder to get planning for the sunnier, longer days ahead. Organise a beach day with Time Out’s guide to the UK’s best hidden beaches, dare to dip with our list of the best wild swimming spots, book a weekend break to one of our favourite places to visit or check out all the exciting stuff happening in London as the days get longer. 

Stay in the loop: sign up to our free Time Out UK newsletter for the latest UK news and the best stuff happening across the country. 

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