Clocks fall back an hour this weekend - why do we follow daylight saving time in the UK?

There is a good chance of getting an extra hour in bed this weekend, unless you are working overnight.

The clocks go back during the early hours of Sunday 26 October - marking the end of British Summer Time (BST) and a return to Greenwich Mean Time (GMT).

Sunset will be leaping forward an hour but if you are an early riser, you may initially notice the sun coming up earlier too.

However, as we move deeper into autumn and winter, daylight will continue to dwindle as the sun rises later and sets earlier still.

The clock change happens at 02:00 BST on Sunday in the UK.

The clocks will go forward again at 01:00 GMT on 29 March 2026, when we will return to BST.

The easy way to remember which way the clocks change is the phrase "spring forward, fall back".

In other words, we turn the time forward an hour in spring and back an hour in fall - or autumn.

Changes to the clocks have been taking place for well over a century. The first country to make use of Daylight Saving Time (DST) was Germany, in 1916 during World War One.

It was intended to maximise evening daylight meaning less heating and lighting was needed, reducing fuel consumption during wartime.

Many other countries followed suit just a few weeks later, including the UK where it was named British Summer Time.

The time shift has mostly continued ever since, although during a short period in World War Two there was British Double Summer Time, where the clocks went forward by two hours.

An experiment between 1968 and 1971 trialled year-round BST and there continue to be some debates about whether the UK should wind its clocks forward permanently.

Arguments for keeping the time zone in summer mode include a potential boost in economic productivity as well as a possible reduction in evening road accidents.

It would also eliminate the minor disruption caused to sleep patterns by the annual gaining - and losing - of an hour.

However, it would also mean some very gloomy winter mornings, especially in Scotland.

In Edinburgh and Glasgow the sun does not rise until around 08:45 GMT in the second half of December, which would equate to 09:45 BST.

It would leave Scottish commuters and schoolchildren making their winter morning journeys in darkness - bringing increased risks on the roads.

Most smartphones, digital devices and even modern cars will adjust the time automatically when GMT begins.

However analogue clocks will need switching manually, which is especially important if you are relying on an old-fashioned alarm clock to wake you up.

And if you are anything like me the clock on the oven will present a particular challenge.

We are certainly not alone in switching time zones twice a year.

Most of North America and Europe observe Daylight Saving Time, although Iceland is one of the few places that doesn't and only small parts of Asia, Oceania, South America and Africa follow DST.

However different countries change their clocks on different dates.

For example, in the USA, the switch takes place on 2 November in 2025, while in Egypt this year it happens on 30 October.

One benefit of an earlier sunset is that it might be easier to get out and capture it on camera.

If you do, feel free to sign up and send your photos to BBC Weather Watchers.

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