I don't know if they still do it but at one time banks would only give new applicants a basic account with restricted options, plus opening saving accounts were not an option. When my wife was about to come to the UK, my niece who worked for a UK bank, suggested this option.
For me to open a standard current account in my name (with no restrictions) and add my wife as a joint account holder. A short time after that I could remove my name, leaving my wife as the sole account holder, but without the restrictions of a basic account. Then, my wife, having an existing account, could also open any account (current and savings) at any bank in just her name.
Of course it would need a second person to (temporarily) open an account in the UK, but it worked for us.