Last update:
1-Feb-2008
©1996-2009
Mike Todd

BST from the beginning

A year by year timetable

The following table shows the dates of changes since BST was introduced, together with the time the changes would occur and the resulting time relative to GMT. Some dates have had to be worked out from the rules. The details have been gleaned from a number of sources, and several have simply been worked out from the rules - I'm trying to confirm each one.

There is often confusion over when the clocks go forward or backward. It used to be at 2am GMT. However, since 1981 the changes have been at 1am GMT (1am GMT becomes 2am BST, and 2am BST becomes 1am coming back).

Summer Time Act, 1916 First appearance of BST Act fixes specific dates
1916	May 21 (Sun) 2am 0200 GMT > 0300 BST	Oct 1 (Sun) 2am 0300 BST > 0200 GMT	First appearance of BST
Various Summer Time Orders Order in Council extends BST on a yearly basis Each fixes specific dates for change
1917	Apr 8 (Sun) 2am 0200 GMT > 0300 BST	Sep 17 (Mon) 2am 0300 BST > 0200 GMT
1918	Mar 24 (Sun) 2am 0200 GMT > 0300 BST	Sep 30 (Mon) 2am 0300 BST > 0200 GMT
1919	Mar 30 (Sun) 2am 0200 GMT > 0300 BST	Sep 29 (Mon) 2am 0300 BST > 0200 GMT
1920	Mar 28 (Sun) 2am 0200 GMT > 0300 BST	Oct 25 (Mon) 2am 0300 BST > 0200 GMT	Moved from Sep 27 due to coal strike
1921	Apr 3 (Sun) 2am 0200 GMT > 0300 BST	Oct 3 (Mon) 2am 0300 BST > 0200 GMT
1922	Mar 26 (Sun) 2am 0200 GMT > 0300 BST	Oct 8 (Sun) 2am 0300 BST > 0200 GMT	Now ends on Sunday, not Monday
Summer Time Act, 1922 Start: 2am on day after 3rd Saturday in April End: 2am on day after 3rd Saturday in September
1923	Apr 22 (Sun) 2am 0200 GMT > 0300 BST	Sep 16 (Sun) 2am 0300 BST > 0200 GMT
1924	Apr 13 (Sun) 2am 0200 GMT > 0300 BST	Sep 21 (Sun) 2am 0300 BST > 0200 GMT	Stats a week early to avoid Easter
Summer Time Act, 1925 Start: 2am on day after 3rd Saturday in April End: 2am on day after 1st Saturday in October
1925	Apr 19 (Sun) 2am 0200 GMT > 0300 BST	Oct 4 (Sun) 2am 0300 BST > 0200 GMT
1926	Apr 18 (Sun) 2am 0200 GMT > 0300 BST	Oct 3 (Sun) 2am 0300 BST > 0200 GMT
1927	Apr 10 (Sun) 2am 0200 GMT > 0300 BST	Oct 2 (Sun) 2am 0300 BST > 0200 GMT	Stats a week early to avoid Easter
1928	Apr 22 (Sun) 2am 0200 GMT > 0300 BST	Oct 7 (Sun) GMT 0300 BST > 0200 GMT
1929	Apr 21 (Sun) 2am 0200 GMT > 0300 BST	Oct 6 (Sun) 2am 0300 BST > 0200 GMT
1930	Apr 13 (Sun) 2am 0200 GMT > 0300 BST	Oct 5 (Sun) 2am 0300 BST > 0200 GMT	Stats a week early to avoid Easter
1931	Apr 19 (Sun) 2am 0200 GMT > 0300 BST	Oct 4 (Sun) 2am 0300 BST > 0200 GMT
1932	Apr 17 (Sun) 2am 0200 GMT > 0300 BST	Oct 2 (Sun) 2am 0300 BST > 0200 GMT
1933	Apr 9 (Sun) 2am 0200 GMT > 0300 BST	Oct 8 (Sun) 2am 0300 BST > 0200 GMT	Stats a week early to avoid Easter
1934	Apr 22 (Sun) 2am 0200 GMT > 0300 BST	Oct 7 (Sun) 2am 0300 BST > 0200 GMT
1935	Apr 14 (Sun) 2am 0200 GMT > 0300 BST	Oct 6 (Sun) 2am 0300 BST > 0200 GMT	Stats a week early to avoid Easter
1936	Apr 19 (Sun) 2am 0200 GMT > 0300 BST	Oct 4 (Sun) 2am 0300 BST > 0200 GMT
1937	Apr 18 (Sun) 2am 0200 GMT > 0300 BST	Oct 3 (Sun) 2am 0300 BST > 0200 GMT
1938	Apr 10 (Sun) 2am 0200 GMT > 0300 BST	Oct 2 (Sun) 2am 0300 BST > 0200 GMT	Stats a week early to avoid Easter
Defence (Summer Time) Regulations, 1939 Start: 2am on day after 3rd Saturday in April End: 2am on day after 3rd Saturday in November
1939	Apr 16 (Sun) 2am 0200 GMT > 0300 BST	Nov 19 (Sun) 2am 0300 BST > 0200 GMT
Order in Council amending Defence (Summer Time) Regulations, 1939 Fixes permanent Summer Time from February
1940	Feb 25 (Sun) 2am 0200 GMT > 0300 BST		Permanent Summer Time
Order in Council amending Defence (Summer Time) Regulations, 1939 Summer Time remains in force, but Double Summer Time introduced Start: 1am GMT on day after 1st Saturday in May End: 1am GMT on day after 2nd Saturday in August
1941	May 4 (Sun) 1am 0200 BST > 0300 DST	Aug 10 (Sun) 1am 0300 DST > 0200 BST	Double Summer Time
Order in Council amending Defence (Summer Time) Regulations, 1939 Amends start date Start: 1am GMT on day after 1st Saturday in April End: 1am GMT on day after 2nd Saturday in August
1942	Apr 5 (Sun) 1am 0200 BST > 0300 DST	Aug 9 (Sun) 1am 0300 DST > 0200 BST	Double Summer Time
1943	Apr 4 (Sun) 1am 0200 BST > 0300 DST	Aug 15 (Sun) 1am 0300 DST > 0200 BST	Double Summer Time
Order in Council amending Defence (Summer Time) Regulations, 1939 Amends end date Start: 1am GMT on day after 1st Saturday in April End: 1am GMT on day after 3rd Saturday in September
1944	Apr 2 (Sun) 1am 0200 BST > 0300 DST	Sep 17 (Sun) 1am 0300 DST > 0200 BST	Double Summer Time
Order in Council amending Defence (Summer Time) Regulations, 1939 Amends both start and end dates to specific dates and ends Double Summer Time
1945	Apr 2 (Mon) 1am 0200 BST > 0300 DST	Jul 15 (Sun) 1am 0300 DST > 0200 BST Oct 7 (Sun) 2am 0300 BST > 0200 GMT	Double Summer Time Reversion to GMT
Defence (Summer Time) Regulations, 1939 revoked Start: 2am on day after 3rd Saturday in April End: 2am on day after 1st Saturday in October
1946	Apr 21 (Sun) 2am 0200 GMT > 0300 BST	Oct 6 (Sun) 2am 0300 BST > 0200 GMT
Summer Time Act, 1947 Fixes dates for 1947, and permits Double Summer Time
1947	Mar 16 (Sun) 2am 0200 GMT > 0300 BST Apr 13 (Sun) 2am 0300 BST > 0400 DST	Aug 10 (Sun) 2am 0400 DST > 0300 BST Nov 12 (Sun) 2am 0300 BST > 0200 GMT	Double Summer Time introduced in two 1-hour time changes
Summer Time Order, 1948 Fixes dates for 1948
1948	Apr 14 (Sun) 2am 0200 GMT > 0300 BST	Oct 31 (Sun) 2am 0300 BST > 0200 GMT
Summer Time Order, 1949 Fixes dates for 1949
1949	Apr 3 (Sun) 2am 0200 GMT > 0300 BST	Oct 30 (Sun) 2am 0300 BST > 0200 GMT
Summer Time Order, 1950 Fixes dates for 1950
1950	Apr 16 (Sun) 2am 0200 GMT > 0300 BST	Oct 22 (Sun) 2am 0300 BST > 0200 GMT
Summer Time Order, 1951 Fixes dates for 1951
1951	Apr 15 (Sun) 2am 0200 GMT > 0300 BST	Oct 21 (Sun) 2am 0300 BST > 0200 GMT
Summer Time Order, 1952 Fixes dates for 1952
1952	Apr 20 (Sun) 2am 0200 GMT > 0300 BST	Oct 26 (Sun) 2am 0300 BST > 0200 GMT
No Orders issed Summer Time Act, 1925, takes over by default Start: 2am on day after 3rd Saturday in April End: 2am on day after 1st Saturday in October
1953	Apr 19(Sun) 2am 0200 GMT > 0300 BST	Oct 4 (Sun) 2am 0300 BST > 0200 GMT
1954	Apr 11 (Sun) 2am 0200 GMT > 0300 BST	Oct 3 (Sun) 2am 0300 BST > 0200 GMT	Stats a week early to avoid Easter
1955	Apr 17 (Sun) 2am 0200 GMT > 0300 BST	Oct 2 (Sun) 2am 0300 BST > 0200 GMT
1956	Apr 22 (Sun) 2am 0200 GMT > 0300 BST	Oct 7 (Sun) 2am 0300 BST > 0200 GMT
1957	Apr 17 (Sun) 2am 0200 GMT > 0300 BST	Oct 6 (Sun) 2am 0300 BST > 0200 GMT	Stats a week early to avoid Easter
1958	Apr 20 (Sun) 2am 0200 GMT > 0300 BST	Oct 5 (Sun) 2am 0300 BST > 0200 GMT
1959	Apr 19 (Sun) 2am 0200 GMT > 0300 BST	Oct 4 (Sun) 2am 0300 BST > 0200 GMT
1960	Apr 10 (Sun) 2am 0200 GMT > 0300 BST	Oct 2 (Sun) 2am 0300 BST > 0200 GMT	Stats a week early to avoid Easter
Summer Time Order, 1961 Fixes specific dates for 1961
1961	Mar 26 (Sun) 2am 0200 GMT > 0300 BST	Oct 29 (Sun) 2am 0300 BST > 0200 GMT
Summer Time (1962) Order, 1961 Fixes specific dates for 1962
1962	Mar 25 (Sun) 2am 0200 GMT > 0300 BST	Oct 28 (Sun) 2am 0300 BST > 0200 GMT
Summer Time Order, 1963 Fixes specific dates for 1963
1963	Mar 31 (Sun) 2am 0200 GMT > 0300 BST	Oct 27 (Sun) 2am 0300 BST > 0200 GMT
Summer Time (1964) Order, 1963 Fixes specific dates for 1964
1964	Mar 22 (Sun) 2am 0200 GMT > 0300 BST	Oct 25 (Sun) 2am 0300 BST > 0200 GMT
Summer Time Order, 1964 Fixes specific dates for 1965, 1966 & 1967
1965	Mar 21 (Sun) 2am 0200 GMT > 0300 BST	Oct 24 (Sun) 2am 0300 BST > 0200 GMT
1966	Mar 20 (Sun) 2am 0200 GMT > 0300 BST	Oct 23 (Sun) 2am 0300 BST > 0200 GMT
1967	Mar 19 (Sun) 2am 0200 GMT > 0300 BST	Oct 29 (Sun) 2am 0300 BST > 0200 GMT
Summer Time Order, 1967 Fixes specific dates for 1968
Summer Time Order, 1968 Overrides previous Order fixes specific date in 1968 as start of permanent Summer Time
1968	Feb 18 (Sun) 2am 0200 GMT > 0300 BST		Permanent Summer Time starts
1969			Permanent Summer Time
1970			Permanent Summer Time
1971		Oct 31(Sun) 2am 0300 BST > 0200 GMT	Permanent Summer Time ends
Summer Time Act, 1972 Start: 2am on day after 3rd Saturday in March End: 2am on day after 4th Saturday in October
1972	Mar 19 (Sun) 2am 0200 GMT > 0300 BST	Oct 29 (Sun) 2am 0300 BST > 0200 GMT	One source says 1am not 2am
1973	Mar 18 (Sun) 2am 0200 GMT > 0300 BST	Oct 28 (Sun) 2am 0300 BST > 0200 GMT
1974	Mar 17 (Sun) 2am 0200 GMT > 0300 BST	Oct 27 (Sun) 2am 0300 BST > 0200 GMT
1975	Mar 16 (Sun) 2am 0200 GMT > 0300 BST	Oct 26 (Sun) 2am 0300 BST > 0200 GMT
1976	Mar 21 (Sun) 2am 0200 GMT > 0300 BST	Oct 24 (Sun) 2am 0300 BST > 0200 GMT
1977	Mar 20 (Sun) 2am 0200 GMT > 0300 BST	Oct 23 (Sun) 2am 0300 BST > 0200 GMT
1978	Mar 19 (Sun) 2am 0200 GMT > 0300 BST	Oct 29 (Sun) 2am 0300 BST > 0200 GMT
1979	Mar 18 (Sun) 2am 0200 GMT > 0300 BST	Oct 28 (Sun) 2am 0300 BST > 0200 GMT
1980	Mar 16 (Sun) 2am 0200 GMT > 0300 BST	Oct 26 (Sun) 2am 0300 BST > 0200 GMT
Summer Time Order, 1980 Fixes specific dates for 1981 & 1982 and changes time to 1am
1981	Mar 29 (Sun) 1am 0100 GMT > 0200 BST	Oct 25 (Sun) 1am 0200 BST > 0100 GMT
1982	Mar 28 (Sun) 1am 0100 GMT > 0200 BST	Oct 24 (Sun) 1am 0200 BST > 0100 GMT
Summer Time Order, 1982 Fixes specific dates for 1983, 1984 & 1985
1983	Mar 27 (Sun) 1am 0100 GMT > 0200 BST	Oct 23 (Sun) 1am 0200 BST > 0100 GMT
1984	Mar 25 (Sun) 1am 0100 GMT > 0200 BST	Oct 28 (Sun) 1am 0200 BST > 0100 GMT
1985	Mar 31 (Sun) 1am 0100 GMT > 0200 BST	Oct 27 (Sun) 1am 0200 BST > 0100 GMT
Summer Time Order, 1985 Fixes specific dates for 1986, 1987 & 1988
1986	Mar 30 (Sun) 1am 0100 GMT > 0200 BST	Oct 26 (Sun) 1am 0200 BST > 0100 GMT
1987	Mar 29 (Sun) 1am 0100 GMT > 0200 BST	Oct 25 (Sun) 1am 0200 BST > 0100 GMT
1988	Mar 27 (Sun) 1am 0100 GMT > 0200 BST	Oct 23 (Sun) 1am 0200 BST > 0100 GMT
Summer Time Order, 1988 Fixes specific dates for 1989
1989	Mar 26 (Sun) 1am 0100 GMT > 0200 BST	Oct 29 (Sun) 1am 0200 BST > 0100 GMT
Summer Time Order, 1989 Fixes specific dates for 1990, 1991 & 1992
1990	Mar 25 (Sun) 1am 0100 GMT > 0200 BST	Oct 28 (Sun) 1am 0200 BST > 0100 GMT
1991	Mar 31 (Sun) 1am 0100 GMT > 0200 BST	Oct 27 (Sun) 1am 0200 BST > 0100 GMT
1992	Mar 29 (Sun) 1am 0100 GMT > 0200 BST	Oct 25 (Sun) 1am 0200 BST > 0100 GMT
Summer Time Order, 1992 Fixes specific dates for 1993, 1994
1993	Mar 28 (Sun) 1am 0100 GMT > 0200 BST	Oct 24 (Sun) 1am 0200 BST > 0100 GMT
1994	Mar 27 (Sun) 1am 0100 GMT > 0200 BST	Oct 23 (Sun) 1am 0200 BST > 0100 GMT
Summer Time Order, 1994 Synchronises UK with rest of Europe (last Sundays in March & October) Fixes specific dates for 1995, 1996 & 1997
1995	Mar 26 (Sun) 1am 0100 GMT > 0200 BST	Oct 22 (Sun) 1am 0200 BST > 0100 GMT
1996	Mar 31 (Sun) 1am 0100 GMT > 0200 BST	Oct 27 (Sun) 1am 0200 BST > 0100 GMT
1997	Mar 30 (Sun) 1am 0100 GMT > 0200 BST	Oct 26 (Sun) 1am 0200 BST > 0100 GMT
Summer Time Order, 1997 Fixes specific dates for 1998, 1999, 2000 & 2001
1998	Mar 29 (Sun) 1am 0100 GMT > 0200 BST	Oct 25 (Sun) 1am 0200 BST > 0100 GMT
1999	Mar 28 (Sun) 1am 0100 GMT > 0200 BST	Oct 31 (Sun) 1am 0200 BST > 0100 GMT
2000	Mar 26 (Sun) 1am 0100 GMT > 0200 BST	Oct 29 (Sun) 1am 0200 BST > 0100 GMT
2001	Mar 25 (Sun) 1am 0100 GMT > 0200 BST	Oct 28 (Sun) 1am 0200 BST > 0100 GMT
*Summer Time Order, 2002* Gives formula (last Sundays in March & October) & repeals any ability for the Government to vary this, or to introduce Double Summer Time
2002	Mar 31 (Sun) 1am 0100 GMT > 0200 BST	Oct 27 (Sun) 1am 0200 BST > 0100 GMT
2003	Mar 30 (Sun) 1am 0100 GMT > 0200 BST	Oct 26 (Sun) 1am 0200 BST > 0100 GMT
2004	Mar 28 (Sun) 1am 0100 GMT > 0200 BST	Oct 31 (Sun) 1am 0200 BST > 0100 GMT
2005	Mar 27 (Sun) 1am 0100 GMT > 0200 BST	Oct 30 (Sun) 1am 0200 BST > 0100 GMT
2006	Mar 26 (Sun) 1am 0100 GMT > 0200 BST	Oct 29 (Sun) 1am 0200 BST > 0100 GMT
2007	Mar 25 (Sun) 1am 0100 GMT > 0200 BST	Oct 28 (Sun) 1am 0200 BST > 0100 GMT
2008	Mar 30 (Sun) 1am 0100 GMT > 0200 BST	Oct 26 (Sun) 1am 0200 BST > 0100 GMT
2009	Mar 29 (Sun) 1am 0100 GMT > 0200 BST	Oct 25 (Sun) 1am 0200 BST > 0100 GMT
2010	Mar 28 (Sun) 1am 0100 GMT > 0200 BST	Oct 31 (Sun) 1am 0200 BST > 0100 GMT
2011	Mar 27 (Sun) 1am 0100 GMT > 0200 BST	Oct 30 (Sun) 1am 0200 BST > 0100 GMT
2012	Mar 25 (Sun) 1am 0100 GMT > 0200 BST	Oct 28 (Sun) 1am 0200 BST > 0100 GMT