A PPL in the UK will cost at least £12,000 and with this you will have 45+ hrs.
You will need to have at least 150hrs before you will be able to sit the CPL or ATPL exams (which are not as hard as an PHd but do require a lot of application if you want to pass first time). To get to this amount of hours is going to cost you another £25,000. Or you can do a course ab-initio course straight to CPL £60,000.
The only problem is once you have done your exams and have 150+ hrs no-one will want to employ you because of low hours so you will need to build up at least 400-500 before
people will look at you seriously as a commercial pilot.
Most people become instructors so you can at least earn some money whilst building hours.
The beauty of this is that you also learn to fly really well....which is nice!
Essentially you will need at least £45,000 to get to CPL stage unless the North Sea starts hiring again.
If you can get hold of this you will probably have the single best job in the world
