Recently my Debit Card didn't work anymore and the process to get a new one didn't work correctly. It meant I was without cash and possibilty to get my cash for more than 4 weeks. It showed my very hard how depent we are on those systems.
Couldn't you go to the bank with your passport? That's the fallback solution in the UK.
Yes, but my bank is a small one in my old home area. Now I am living in a far aways city without this bank. Also I was only on sundays in my old home area and had no possibilty to go there on a weekday.