Do the clocks go forward in March? Exact time and date revealed
11 March 2025, 16:19 | Updated: 12 March 2025, 17:15
Daylight saving times are about to change at the end of the month but when? And why do the clocks go back at 1am? Here's all the seasonal answers you need.
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Winter feels like it's never-ending and after the weather showed some much-needed signs of spring at the start of the month, everyone is keen to wave goodbye to the chill and hello to the sun - so do the clocks officially go forward in March to signal spring?
Those living the UK are now looking forward to the warmer months and lighter evenings and are already checking when the clocks change to begin those all important British summertime and daylight saving hours.
Prompting the start of spring, and hopefully more pleasant weather and temperatures, we don't have long to go until we see the seasons change.
Here's the exact date and time the clocks go forward in the UK in 2025 including why they have to change at 1am.
When do the clocks go forward in the UK 2025?
The end of a cold winter is on the horizon as we'll see the times change in the UK on March 30th, Mother's Day. This typically always happens on the last Sunday of March.
On this Sunday at 1am, the clocks will go forward one hour, meaning we lose an hour that day, to signal the start of British Summer Time.
This means the sunrise and sunset will happen an hour later over the spring and summer months, giving us much lighter evenings to enjoy.
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Why do the clocks change at 1am?
For some, it's very confusing as to why the clocks don't change at midnight with them 'springing forward' in March from 1am and 'falling back' at 2am in October.
The reason for this is because it's a time that would cause less disruption. It's based on the railroad schedules during World War I because during this time, there was generally no trains running and wouldn't cause any issues for travel around the country.
They believed these times were also better for early morning church goers or shift workers too. By doing it a midnight, it would change the date too
When do the clocks go back in 2025?
Of course, those lovely summer evenings and warm temperatures don't last all year and while we 'spring forward' in March, we "fall back" in October and gain an hour.
Losing an hour and bringing back those dark nights and mornings, in 2025, this will happen on Sunday 26th October. In 2024 this happened on Sunday 27th October.
Why does the UK change the clocks twice a year and do other countries do it?
The idea of moving the clocks was invented by a New Zealand entomologist named George Vincent Hudson in 1895 but was first introduced in the UK by the government during the First World War in 1916 to save coal usage and make the most of natural light.
Most European countries use daylight saving time during the winter months, switching their time on the same night as the UK.
France and Spain - that are on GMT+1 - go back at 3am local time (2am in the UK), meaning the UK always remains an hour behind.
Changing the clocks is a common practise across many countries in the world despite many thinking it's only the UK that does.
Countries who don't change their time include Iceland, Iran, Jordan, Russia, Samoa, Syria, Turkey and Uruguay. Some parts of Mexico have also stopped doing this.
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