When do the clocks go forward? Exact date UK clocks change in spring 2026 | UK | News

After months of cold and wet conditions, much of the UK has enjoyed milder temperatures this week, which means it’s finally starting to feel like spring.

The exact start date of spring in the UK depends on whether you follow the meteorological or the astronomical calendar, as each follows a different pattern. The meteorological calendar is on the annual temperature cycle and splits the seasons into four periods of up to three months each, which all coincide with the Gregorian calendar. As such, the start date of each new season is the same year on year, meaning spring always starts on March 1 and ends on May 31.

But astronomical seasons refer to the position of the Earth’s orbit in relation to the sun, taking into account equinoxes and solstices, and since the seasons vary in length, the start of spring typically falls on a different day from year to year.

This year, the Met Office says astronomical spring starts on Friday, March 20, in the Northern Hemisphere, when day and night are roughly equal in length, and ends around Sunday, June 21.

The equinox defines the transition between the seasons of the astronomical calendar and occurs twice a year. The spring equinox falls around March 20 and the autumn equinox falls around September 22.

So with the spring equinox due to take place on Friday, it means the start of brighter and longer days, as well as another clock change.

The practice of changing the clocks has been in place in the UK for more than a century and is designed to bookend the different stages of the year.

This year, the clocks will go forward by one hour at 1am on Sunday, March 29, officially marking the beginning of British Summer Time.

Unfortunately, the change means you’ll lose an hour in bed, but you can take some comfort in the fact that it marks the start of the warmer seasons and will mean more daylight in the evenings.

The move to change the clocks twice a year followed a campaign led by British builder William Willett in 1907, in the hope of preventing people from wasting valuable hours of natural sunlight and to help save energy.

It was first introduced and formalised as British Summer Time in the Summer Time Act 1916, with the change giving farmers an extra hour of sunlight during the summer months and providing a helpful boost to the agricultural sector.

As well as losing an hour in bed, the clocks changing in spring can also cause disruption to your body clock and mood, so experts advise adjusting your bedtime by around 15 to 30 minutes each night leading up to the change to get acclimatised.

In its online advice on getting acclimatised for the clock change, Sleepeezee said: “In the week leading up to the change, try going to bed 15 minutes earlier each night to allow your body to adjust gradually to the lost hour of sleep. This small change will help minimise the shock to your internal body clock and make the transition smoother.

“Consistency is key when it comes to maintaining a good sleep schedule. Going to bed and waking up at the same time each day, even on weekends, will help reinforce your body’s natural circadian rhythm. Your body will then naturally know when it’s time to wind down, making it easier to fall asleep, even when the clocks shift.”