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UK key dates 2028

The dates that run the British year besides the bank holidays: when the clocks change, when the tax year turns over, the old quarter days and the church dates people still plan around.

The UK is on Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) now. The clocks go forward 1 hour at 1am on Sunday 28 March 2027.

When the clocks change

YearClocks go forwardClocks go back
2028Sunday 26 MarchSunday 29 October
2029Sunday 25 MarchSunday 28 October
2030Sunday 31 MarchSunday 27 October
2031Sunday 30 MarchSunday 26 October

Forward 1 hour at 1am on the last Sunday in March (start of BST); back 1 hour at 2am on the last Sunday in October (back to GMT).

Tax year

DateDay of the weekWhat
31 JanuaryMondaySelf Assessment deadline online returns and payment for tax year 2026/27
5 AprilWednesdayTax year 2027/28 ends
6 AprilThursdayTax year 2028/29 starts
31 OctoberTuesdaySelf Assessment paper returns due for tax year 2027/28

The UK tax year always runs from 6 April to 5 April, written 2028/29.

Quarter days and Scottish term days

England, Wales and Northern Ireland

DateDay of the weekWhat
25 MarchSaturdayLady Day
24 JuneSaturdayMidsummer Day
29 SeptemberFridayMichaelmas
25 DecemberMondayChristmas

Scotland

DateDay of the weekWhat
28 FebruaryMondayCandlemas
28 MaySundayWhitsunday
28 AugustMondayLammas
28 NovemberTuesdayMartinmas

Some leases and rents still fall due on these days. Since the Term and Quarter Days (Scotland) Act 1990, the Scottish term days are always the 28th.

Pancake Day and Mothering Sunday

DateDay of the weekWhat
29 FebruaryTuesdayPancake Day (Shrove Tuesday)
26 MarchSundayMothering Sunday three weeks before Easter Sunday
16 AprilSundayEaster Sunday

Both move with Easter. Mothering Sunday is the UK Mother's Day, so it is not the same date as Mother's Day in the US.