Days are getting longer, spring has begun, and attention is turning to when the clocks will go forward giving us even more daylight.

Each year the clocks are moved back in autumn and moved forward again in spring, yet many of us still get caught out by an hour.

The clocks moving forward in spring will mark the start of British summer as we move from Greenwich Mean Time to British Summer Time.

Echo:

Here is everything you need to know about the UK clock changes in 2024.

When do the clocks go forward in 2024?

The clocks always go forward at 1am on the final Sunday of March which this year falls on Sunday, March 31.

The reason for the time is to cause limited disruption to schools and business.

Unfortunately, it means your weekend will be cut short by one hour, but in return we will see more daylight in the evening.

When do the clocks go back in 2024?

In autumn the clocks will go back again at 2am on the final Sunday of October, which this year falls on Sunday, October 27.

It means an extra hour in bed for your Sunday lie-in and will give an extra hour of daylight as the dark nights roll in.

Why do we change the clocks?

The principal reason we change the clocks is to get the most out of the daylight.

The first clock change was introduced by the German government in 1916 during the first world war as a means of saving energy - the longer the daylight hours lasted, the less electricity was required.

Many European governments followed suit, including Britain, and so BST was born, with the current system in place since 1971.