When do the clocks go back in 2021?

The clocks will go back an hour on 25 October (Photo: Shutterstock)The clocks will go back an hour on 25 October (Photo: Shutterstock)
The clocks will go back an hour on 25 October (Photo: Shutterstock)
With a dramatic temperature drop, and the fast approaching darker nights the time for the clocks to go back is just around the corner. But when do they actually change?

The clocks go back twice a year, and it catches people off guard every time. That’s because the date changes every year, last year it was October 29th and this year it will be October 31st.

When do the clocks go back?

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According to the government website the clocks go forward 1 hour at 1am on the last Sunday in March, and back 1 hour at 2am on the last Sunday in October.

When the clocks move 1 hour ahead it moves into what is called British Summer Time (BST), the nights are lighter and the days are longer. Also known as Daylight Saving Time.

When the clocks go back in October, and the darker nights set in, the UK will be on what is called Greenwich Mean Time (GMT).

Disturbed sleep - physical symptomDisturbed sleep - physical symptom
Disturbed sleep - physical symptom

Why do the clocks back?

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Daylight savings is actually a source of great debate around the world. The reason being that the clocks going back originated from a campaign in the early 20th century.

There was no real scientific reasoning behind the change. It was just that those working for the campaign successfully argued that changing the clocks in the summer would avoid people wasting time in the morning.

Many people now believe that this system is outdated. Countries like Japan, China and India have stopped acknowledging it, and do not use any form of daylight saving time.

Do you think the clocks changing is still necessary?

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