Everying in the UK is automated. You are expected to have a card to get a rail card, buy bus tickets and to check out at the supermarket. But opening a bank account in the UK is not easy without a permanent address.
smallworldfs.com/small-world/gbr/en-gb/blog/list-of-banks-in-the-uk-where-you-can-open-a-bank-account-without-proof-of-address