Three autumn safety moments arrive close together: the clocks go back at 2am on Sunday 25 October 2026, Halloween falls on Saturday 31 October and Bonfire Night on Thursday 5 November. Choose an organised fireworks display over a home one, never give sparklers to under-5s, cool any burn under cool running water for 20 minutes, and plan for darker walks home. In England and Wales you can’t set off fireworks between 11pm and 7am, except until midnight on Bonfire Night.
Updated 3 October 2026 · Sources: GOV.UK, Scottish Government, nidirect, NHS, Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service, North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service
While you wait, cool the burn under cool running water. To report dangerous or antisocial use of fireworks, call the police on 101, or 999 if someone is in danger right now.
Autumn safety in four numbers
Dates from GOV.UK; fireworks rules from GOV.UK (England and Wales), the Scottish Government and nidirect (Northern Ireland); burns advice from the NHS. Rules differ between the UK nations, so check the table below.
What are the key safety dates this autumn?
Fireworks go on sale from registered sellers in England and Wales on 15 October. The clocks go back on 25 October, Halloween is on 31 October and Bonfire Night is on 5 November, with displays often held on the weekends either side. Sales from registered sellers stop on 10 November. Plan your evenings, routes and children’s plans around these dates.
15 October: fireworks on sale
Sunday 25 October: clocks go back
Saturday 31 October: Halloween
Thursday 5 November: Bonfire Night
10 November: sales period ends
How do you stay safe on Bonfire Night?
Fire services recommend going to an organised display instead of holding your own. If you do use fireworks at home, read the instructions by torchlight, light them at arm’s length with a taper, stand well back and never go back to one that has been lit. Keep fireworks in a closed box and never put them in your pocket or throw them.
Checklist based on bonfire and firework advice from North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service and the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service.
What are the fireworks rules in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland?
Across the UK you must be 18 to buy adult fireworks, and you must not set them off in the street or other public places. England and Wales have an 11pm to 7am curfew. Scotland limits private use to 6pm to 11pm, with later finishes on special nights and no-firework control zones. Northern Ireland requires a licence for most fireworks.
Key: ▼ green = the standard UK rules; ▬ amber = extra limits on times and places; ▲ red = a licence is needed for most fireworks. Check your council for Scottish control zones and local display dates. This is a summary, not the full law.
How can children stay safe at Halloween?
Younger children should trick-or-treat with an adult. Choose costumes that don’t restrict vision, avoid long trailing fabric that could catch fire, and give each child a torch or glow stick to be seen near roads. Use a battery light, not a candle, in pumpkins. Agree a route and a home time with older children, and only knock where houses are decorated.
If a costume catches fire, the fire service advice is to stop, drop and roll. For older children going out alone, our guide to letting children walk alone covers phones, routes and check-ins, and stranger danger covers what to teach them today.
Why do darker evenings after the clocks change matter?
After 25 October the evening commute, school pickups and after-work runs happen in the dark, and official figures show many crimes and incidents are more common in the evening and at night. Wear something bright or reflective, stick to lit, busy routes, keep your phone charged and tell someone when you expect to be home.
See when crime is most likely by hour, day and season, our walking home at night checklist and running and cycling after dark.
What should you do if someone is burned by a firework?
Hold the burn under cool running water for 20 minutes, as soon as possible. Remove clothing and jewellery near the burn, but not anything stuck to the skin. Once cooled, lay cling film over it rather than wrapping it. Don’t use creams, butter or plasters. Call 999 for large or deep burns, or burns to the face or genitals.
Frequently asked questions
In England and Wales, fireworks can be set off until midnight on 5 November instead of the usual 11pm. Scotland also allows later use on Bonfire Night. Organised public displays can have different permissions.
Yes. GOV.UK says you must not set off or throw fireworks, including sparklers, in the street or other public places. Using fireworks illegally in England and Wales can mean an unlimited fine and up to 6 months in prison.
Not sure which number to use? Read 999 or 101: how to report a crime. Out at a display or party where someone has drunk too much, see the recovery position guide.
Sources
- GOV.UK: When do the clocks change?
- GOV.UK: Fireworks: the law
- Scottish Government: Fireworks: the law
- nidirect: Fireworks
- NHS: Burns and scalds
- NIFRS: Halloween and fireworks safety
- North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service: Bonfire Night safety
General information, not legal advice. Rules can change, so check the official pages above. In an emergency, always call 999.
Keep reading
Darker evenings? Let the people you trust see you get home
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