When do the clocks change, why do we use British Summer Time – and do we still need to?

The nights are becoming lighter and although the recent snowfall may suggest otherwise, the temperature is very slowly starting to get warmer – which can only mean the clocks will change soon.

When do  the clocks go forward?

On Sunday, March 25 we will move to British Summer Time (BST) – at 1am, to be precise. The clocks will move forward (remember the Americanised mantra: spring forward, fall back).

What is Daylight Saving Time?

Daylight saving time (DST), or summer time, is the practice of advancing clocks during summer months by one hour...

The moving of the clocks was first introduced during World War One by Germany and Austria, and then by the allies, to save on coal usage.

It was invented by George Vincent Hudson, a New Zealand entomologist in 1895, while British businessman William Willett is also credited with the idea as a way of getting up earlier and so having more daylight hours after work.

While the UK has always had daylight savings time since it was first introduced, it came into widespread use across the world during the 1970s because of the energy crisis.