do you really know that to be the reason? Seems to me like every country in the world with lower average income or subject to the same painfully, slow procedures.
But I also had friends from England that went through the process, and it took them two years as well
In my case go to the bank the first day and open the account with my ID and funds.
Second day the deposit is made by the agent and the necessary document acquired from the bank. Immediately after the agent will instruct you to transfer the funds back to them