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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
National

When do the clocks go back in 2018 in UK? And why do they change before the winter? Daylight saving explained

It's a sign that summer is well and truly over, but unfortunately this weekend marks the end of British Summer Time.

Yep, say goodbye to long days and warm sunshine because we will be turning the clocks back on Sunday, October 28.

Brits gain an hour every year on the last Sunday in October, but it also means our days will be getting shorter and our nights longer and colder.

When do the clocks go back?

The clocks change twice a year. Once in March when they go forward an hour and once in October when they go back an hour.

We will gain that hour at 2am on Sunday, October 28. And while your smartphone and laptops will update automatically, analog clocks and other digital clocks, like car and oven clocks, will need to be changed manually.

Winter is well and truly on its way (Alex Lentati)

Why do the clocks go forward?

Changing the clocks an hour began more than 100 years ago, when parliament passed the Summer Time Act in 1916, thereby creating British Summer Time.

It was the result of a campaign started in 1907 by William Willett to stop people wasting valuable hours of light in the summer months and to save fuel during the war.

Germany was the first country to adopt the clock-changing plan in April that year and the UK followed in May.

While Daylight Savings Time is observed in most places in Europe, North America and Australasia, most places in Africa and Asia don't.

When will the clocks go forward again?

Unfortunately, you have a while to wait to see summer again. The clocks go forward again on Sunday, March 31 next year.

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