What the clocks going back mean for workers – and whether you’ll be working an extra hour for free
MILLIONS will enjoy an extra hour in bed as the clocks go back in the early hours of Sunday morning.
British Summer Time (BST) ends at 2am on October 27, when the time reverts back an hour to 1am.
When the clocks go back, we transition into Greenwich Mean Time (GMT).
This change results in more daylight in the mornings but also brings darker evenings.
Below, we outline the rules surrounding working hours during the clock change and clarify your rights in such situations.
Will I have to work an extra hour?
This will all depend on how your employment contract is worded.
For example, if it says you have to work specific times, such as 12am to 8am, you will likely have to work the extra hour.
However, if it states the number of hours you should work, for example, an eight-hour shift, you should be allowed to finish an hour early.
Will I get paid for working an extra hour?
If you’re among the unlucky few who have to work the extra hour, whether you’ll receive additional pay depends on how you are typically compensated.
If you’re paid by the hour, you should get some extra money for working longer.
However, if you are salaried or paid a day rate, your employer is not obligated to pay you more than usual.
The exception to this is if the extra hour pushes your equivalent hourly wage below the national living wage, which is £11.44 per hour for workers over 23.
To calculate this, divide the amount you’re being paid for the shift by the number of hours you’ve worked.
If you’re asked to work extra for no pay, double-check to ensure you won’t be dipping below the minimum legal requirement.
You can also report your employer to HMRC.
Even if you’re not entitled to extra pay, for instance, because you’re on a salary and earning more than minimum wage, it’s worth flagging the issue to your employer.
Your company might ask you to start an hour later or let you leave an hour earlier. Or it might offer to pay you overtime for the extra hour.
Why do the clocks change?
CLOCKS change twice a year, in Spring and Autumn, but why?
The concept of changing the clocks first arrived in Britain in 1907, when William Willett, the great-great-grandfather of Coldplay lead singer Chris Martin, self-published a pamphlet called “The Waste of Daylight”.
A year after Willett’s death, in 1916, Germany became the first country to adopt daylight saving time.
The UK did the same a few weeks later, along with other nations involved in the First World War.
British Double Summer Time was temporarily introduced during the Second World War, with clocks kept one hour in advance of Greenwich Mean Time to increase productivity.
Since the war, Britain has operated under British Summer Time except for between 1968 and 1971 when the clocks went forward but were not put back.
What are night workers’ rights?
You are already entitled to certain rights if you work night shifts, according to the Working Time Regulations.
You are classed as a night worker if you work at least three hours through the night, usually in the period between 11am and 6am.
If you do night work, you should not have to work more than eight hours in a 24-hour period. This is usually calculated over a 17-week period.
Regular overtime is included in this average, and workers cannot opt out of this limit.
Because of the health impacts of nighttime working, your employer must offer you a free health assessment regularly.
You also have a right to breaks.
You are allowed at least one uninterrupted 20-minute break if your shift is longer than six hours.
You must also have at least 11 consecutive hours’ rest in any 24-hour period and one day off each week or two consecutive days off in a fortnight.