After what feels like a long, chilly winter, spring is finally here.
The previously dark days will begin to get brighter, while the weather should become more mild in the run-up to the summer months. The clocks also go forward as we transition from Greenwich Mean Time to British Summer Time.
The change occurs twice a year, once in March and again in October. The practice of putting the clocks forwards in spring and backwards in autumn has been going on for centuries.
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Initially, the idea was get people out of their homes and outside to enjoy the daylight hours. Benjamin Franklin first campaigned to change the clocks during his time in Paris in 1784.
His belief was that if people got out of bed earlier, they would be able to enjoy the extra daylight. For years, the idea was opposed.
But in 1916, the idea was finally properly implemented in the UK when the first Daylight Saving Bill was brought before the House of Commons.
Here is when the clocks will change in the UK this year.
When and what time do the clocks go forward in 2023?
The clocks always change on the last weekend of March each year in the UK. In 2023, it falls on Sunday, March 26.
At 1am, the clocks will leap forward by one hour. This means we lose an hour in bed, but on the plus side, we get more daylight in the evening. You'll need to remember to change the clocks in your house but anyone with a smartphone shouldn't need to worry about manually changing the time.
When do the clocks go back?
The clocks will go back again this autumn, marking the move to Greenwich Mean Time.
It takes place on the last Sunday of October, which will be 29 October. If you find it hard to remember which way the clocks change in spring and autumn, an easy rhyme is: spring forward, fall backwards.
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