What date do clocks go back in 2024 and when does British Summer Time end?

Clocks go back on Sunday 27 October 2024

British Summer Time (BST) ends on Sunday 27 October 2024. This means that the clocks will go back one hour at 2am on that day. BST is a period of time in the United Kingdom when the clocks are one hour ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT). It starts on the last Sunday in March and ends on the last Sunday in October.

Why do we have British Summer Time?

BST was first introduced in the UK in 1916 as a way to save energy during the First World War. By moving the clocks forward one hour in the summer, it meant that people could make better use of the daylight hours and therefore use less artificial light. BST has been used in the UK ever since, although there have been some attempts to abolish it.

Is there any evidence that BST saves energy?

There is some evidence that BST can save energy. A study by the University of Cambridge found that BST saved the UK around 500,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions in 2010. However, other studies have found that the energy savings from BST are very small. A study by the University of Birmingham found that BST only saved the UK around 20,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions in 2012.

What are the arguments for and against BST?

There are a number of arguments for and against BST. Arguments in favour of BST include that it can save energy, reduce traffic accidents, and improve people's mood. Arguments against BST include that it can disrupt people's sleep patterns, make it more difficult to wake up in the morning, and increase the risk of heart attacks.

Will BST be abolished in the UK?

There have been a number of attempts to abolish BST in the UK, but none have been successful. In 2019, the government announced that it would be conducting a review of BST. The review is expected to be completed in 2021. It is possible that the government could decide to abolish BST after the review, but it is also possible that BST will remain in place.