It’s time to dust off your shorts and flip flops - we’re officially in the countdown to summer!
Today the clocks have changed in the UK, taking us from Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) to British Summer Time (BST).
The exact change happened at 01:00 this morning, at which point the clocks went forwards to 02:00.
While the clock change might have you feeling a bit groggy, the good news is that it means there will be extra daylight in the evenings - ideal for those after-work drinks.
Here’s everything you need to know about the clock change.
When did the clocks change?
This year, the clocks change on 31 March.
The exact change happened at 01:00 on 31 March, at which point the clocks go forward to 02:00.
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Why do the clocks change?
The concept of the clock change was conceived by Benjamin Franklin in Paris back in 1784.
Franklin, who is best known for inventing the lightbulb, suggested that people could save money on candles if they got up when it was lighter outside.
His idea was brought to the UK in 1907 by a builder called William Willett, who published a leaflet called The Waste of Daylight, encouraging people to wake up earlier.
Sadly, it wasn’t until 1916 - a year after Willett died - that the UK government implemented the the clock change in the UK.
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When do the clocks change back?
The clocks go back from BST to GMT in October.
This year, the clock change falls on Sunay 27 October.
How to remember which way the clocks go
There’s an easy phrase you can remember to make sure you’re on top of the clock changes.
This is ‘spring forward, fall back’ - meaning the clocks go forwards in the spring, and back in the fall (autumn).
