They take out $XX (or in your case, UK pounds) every month from the same card. You can use both debt and credit cards in this transactions, because most debit cards are backed by a credit company. Debit cards just take out the money from your checking account, almost instantaneous.

International Bank Laws does not alter banking laws in each country, and I don't think that civilized countries would differ in this aspect. In other words, what happens in the US banks most likely will happen in the UK. Don't see any changes in that.