TAC reminder: clocks spring forward this weekend as British Summer Time starts (1am)

Daylight saving and British Summer Time (BST)

Since 1916, Britain (along with many other countries) has observed Daylight Saving Time (DST) during the summer months. In the UK, daylight saving is known as British Summer Time (BST).

So, when does British Summer Time start? BST begins at 1:00am on the last Sunday in March. This year that falls on Sunday 31 March, when the clocks spring forward from 1:00am to 2:00am — meaning one hour “disappears”.

Most phones, computers and smart devices will update automatically. However, analogue clocks and watches, plus anything not connected to the internet (for example, in-car clocks and many microwaves and ovens) will need changing manually. The good news: as the clocks go forward this weekend on a Sunday, many people can ease into it by having a lie-in.

The “missing hour” is returned on the last Sunday in October. This year that is 27 October, when at 2:00am the clocks fall back to 1:00am.

Why do the clocks change? A hot debate

BST was originally adopted after a petition by a Surrey builder called William Willett — who, incidentally, was the great-great-grandfather of Coldplay frontman Chris Martin.

The idea was that farmers could make better use of daylight and that people would burn less fuel. With 1916 falling in the middle of the First World War, when resources were scarce, this helped push the bill through Parliament.

That said, there were dark mutterings among those who knew Willett personally that his real motivation was annoyance at having to cut his golf games short on summer evenings. Sadly for Willett, he died before BST was implemented.

Opponents of BST, and daylight saving more generally, liken the idea to cutting off the bottom of a blanket, sewing it to the top, and convincing yourself you now have a bigger blanket. There are also well-established arguments that productivity and health can be affected for several days after each clock change.

Time for a change?

Whichever side you take in the BST debate, we can all agree that time is precious. If you feel that your timeshare ownership is not currently meeting your holiday needs, why waste another year paying expensive fees?

Getting out of a contract is generally possible with expert help. And if certain criteria are met, some timeshare owners can qualify for significant financial compensation.

To find out more, get in touch with our team at Timeshare Advice Centre.