In the United States the clocks change at 2:00 a.m. on Sunday, November 1, 2026, and in the United Kingdom a week earlier, at 2:00 a.m. on Sunday, October 25. Both go back one hour. That one-week gap is the part that catches people out, because the usual time difference between the two is wrong for seven days.
the clocks going back in the US
That was November 1, 2026.
| UK date and time | Sunday, October 25, 2026 at 2:00 a.m. BST |
|---|---|
| UK rule | Last Sunday in October |
| Clocks go | Back one hour, to 1:00 a.m. GMT |
| US date | Sunday, November 1, 2026 at 2:00 a.m. local |
| US rule | First Sunday in November |
| Gap between them | One week |
| UK clocks forward again | Sunday, March 28, 2027 |
When do the clocks change in the UK in 2026?
British Summer Time ends on the last Sunday in October, which in 2026 is October 25. At 2:00 a.m. BST the clocks go back one hour to 1:00 a.m. GMT, and the United Kingdom returns to Greenwich Mean Time for the winter.
The European Union follows the same schedule, changing at 1:00 a.m. GMT, so Ireland, Spain, Germany, France and the rest of the bloc switch at the same instant as the UK even though the local clock time differs. This is why the hour gap between London and continental Europe stays constant across the change.
When do the clocks change in the US in fall 2026?
The two systems used to be closer together. The Energy Policy Act of 2005 moved the American end date from the last Sunday in October to the first Sunday in November, effective from 2007, while Europe kept its existing rule.
The result is a one-week window each autumn, from October 25 to November 1 in 2026, when the usual time differences between Europe and North America are off by an hour. During that week London is four hours ahead of New York rather than the usual five. There is a similar mismatch in spring, when the United States moves forward in March before Europe does.
If you have calls, flights or live broadcasts scheduled across the Atlantic in that window, the offset is the thing to check. Calendar software handles it correctly when events are stored with a time zone; it gets it wrong when someone has typed a fixed time into a description.
What time do the clocks change, and which way?
The extra hour comes on the night of Saturday October 24 into Sunday October 25, so that night is twenty-five hours long. Sunrise and sunset both move an hour earlier by the clock, and in the UK, which sits far north, the effect on evening light is pronounced: sunset in London drops to before 5:00 p.m. within days of the change.
Phones, computers and anything network-connected update themselves. Car clocks, ovens and analogue watches do not.
Will the clocks stop changing?
The European Parliament voted in March 2019 to end seasonal clock changes, leaving each member state to choose whether to settle permanently on summer or on winter time. The change was originally intended to take effect in 2021. It stalled in the Council of the European Union, was never implemented, and no new date has been set.
The United Kingdom left the European Union before any of that would have applied to it, and has made no change of its own. For now both continue on the existing schedule, so the October 25 date stands and the twice-yearly change remains in force on both sides of the Channel.
Related dates
Frequently asked questions
When do the clocks go back in 2026?
In the United Kingdom, at 2:00 a.m. on Sunday, October 25, 2026. In the United States, at 2:00 a.m. local time on Sunday, November 1, 2026.
Do the clocks go forward or back in October?
Back. Clocks return from 2:00 a.m. to 1:00 a.m., so the night is an hour longer and you gain an hour of sleep.
Why do the UK and the US change on different dates?
The United States moved its end date to the first Sunday in November under the Energy Policy Act of 2005, effective 2007, while the United Kingdom and the European Union kept the last Sunday in October.
Does the whole of Europe change at the same time?
Yes. The European Union changes at the same instant, 1:00 a.m. GMT, so the hour differences between European countries stay the same across the change.
When do the UK clocks go forward again?
British Summer Time resumes at 1:00 a.m. on Sunday, March 28, 2027, when the clocks go forward one hour.