When do the clocks go back? Exact time British Summer Time ends as millions gain an extra hour of sleep

The change arrives a day earlier than it did in 2025, when clocks turned back on October 26.

For those who can never recall which direction the adjustment goes, the trusty saying "spring forward, fall back" remains as reliable as ever.

Those with modern technology need not lift a finger - smartphones and smartwatches will seamlessly roll themselves back at the stroke of 2am, resetting to 1am without any intervention.

Analogue clocks, mantelpiece timepieces and traditional wristwatches, however, will demand a hands-on approach and intentional alteration.

Each time the nation's clocks shift, Palace of Westminster's clockmakers must meticulously recalibrate the Great Clock in the Elizabeth Tower - popularly known as Big Ben - along with some 2,000 additional timepieces scattered throughout the parliamentary estate.

The shift will have a stark effect on evening daylight.

On the day the clocks change, sunset in London will plunge to approximately 4:46pm, a dramatic shift from the 6:12pm recorded just days earlier on October 14.

Mornings will, however, benefit from an extra hour of brightness, offering some consolation as a trade-off for the darker evenings.

For many office workers, the consequence is all too familiar: arriving and departing seemingly in the darkness of night.

The concept of adjusting clocks to better harness daylight has deep roots in British history.

William Willett first put forward the idea in 1907, driven by a desire to eliminate wasted morning sunlight and extend brighter evenings through the warmer months.

His vision became law in 1916, when British Summer Time was formally established through an Act of Parliament.

The practice has continued almost unbroken for over a century, pausing only during exceptional periods such as the Second World War.

As for the next change, clocks will spring forward again on Sunday, March 28, 2027, restoring British Summer Time once more.