Charlie,
If my response came across as catlike, as Blue rotor ronin suggests, then I apologize. £18k is not the cheapest option and, as I have said, I learned in the UK, on a Schweizer (quite a bit more pricey than a R22), at a v. reputable school. It took me 65 hours and in that figure I also include EVERYTHING, having kept full accounts.
Ascend Charlie - perhaps I misinterpreted. If you meant 45K for a CPL then, yes, that is about right.