Clocks go back this Sunday: what Londoners need to know before the weekend

London gets an extra hour on the clock this weekend as British Summer Time ends. The UK’s clocks go back on Sunday 25 October 2026, with 2am becoming 1am. For anyone planning a Saturday night out, an early Sunday start or a family day across the capital, a few checks beforehand can save an unnecessarily confusing morning.

The date is confirmed by GOV.UK and the Royal Observatory Greenwich. Britain returns to Greenwich Mean Time, usually shortened to GMT. The change happens overnight from Saturday into Sunday, so there is no need to alter a clock on Friday morning. Here is our practical guide to the weekend switch.

The date and direction, explained

The autumn change moves the clock backwards by one hour. An old-fashioned clock reading 2am should therefore be turned to 1am, not 3am. The hour beginning at 1am happens twice, once before the change and once afterwards. That distinction matters most if your plans fall in the middle of the night.

GOV.UK’s calendar also gives the next spring change as 28 March 2027. For this weekend, the simple reminder is “back”: Sunday morning arrives on GMT. If you are putting a reminder in a family chat, include the full date and direction rather than just saying that “the clocks change tonight”, which can become confusing when a message is read later.

Check the clocks you actually use

Our advice is to start with whichever device wakes you up. Check its date, time and time-zone settings, and consult the device’s instructions if you are unsure whether it adjusts automatically. A phone set to update itself and a manually adjusted bedside clock are two different things; changing both by hand can create a second, accidental adjustment.

Think beyond the bedroom, too. The kitchen clock, a watch, a car dashboard and a timer may each need their own check. Make a short list on Saturday rather than trying to remember every display while getting ready on Sunday. Afterwards, compare them with a trusted time source so that everyone in the household is working to the same time.

Going out on Saturday night?

Treat the clock change as a reason to check arrangements, rather than assuming it gives every event an extra hour. A venue’s advertised running time, last entry and closing arrangements are matters for that venue. If you are meeting friends around the repeated hour, choose a clear meeting point and confirm the plan with each other before leaving.

The same practical approach applies to travelling home. Check your transport operator’s current journey information for the actual date and route. This guide does not establish any special Night Tube, bus or rail timetable for the clock-change night. A familiar departure time is not a substitute for checking the service you intend to use, particularly if your journey crosses midnight.

Sunday plans and overseas calls

For a museum visit, brunch booking or a timed ticket, check the confirmation and use the correct local time on Sunday. Avoid mentally adding or subtracting an hour from every appointment after your clock has already been adjusted. Agree one departure time with the people travelling with you, then work backwards from the booking as you normally would.

If you are arranging a call with somebody abroad, check both locations in a world-clock or calendar tool for the meeting date. Countries do not all follow the UK’s timetable. Writing “London time” beside a proposed meeting is clearer than assuming the usual difference still applies. For shared calendar invitations, check the displayed time zone before sending or accepting the appointment.

Why Greenwich is part of the story

The Royal Observatory explains that summer time is designed to make use of the longer daylight available during the warmer part of the year. Returning to GMT ends that seasonal adjustment. Moving the hands does not create extra daylight: it changes the hours shown on the clock in relation to the day.

Greenwich is also a London connection worth exploring beyond this weekend’s practical reminder. The Royal Observatory’s explanation traces the campaign for changing the clocks and the continuing arguments around it. If the switch sparks a family discussion, its guide is a useful place to begin. For now, put Sunday 25 October in the diary, check your essential clocks and make the most of your weekend.