IO540
At the age of 58 it took me 49.1 hrs to get my PPL and cost £7,000 and I did it last year over a period of nine months, Feb to Oct at a school to the west of London.
Age may have some bearing, but I also beleive it is so much down to one's natural ability.
I was advised that when I started to learn, be consistant and fly at least two or three times a week, and always with the same instructor.
I did and it worked for me.
To return to the original thread, I too considered the US, and although I intend to use my licence purely for pleasure, I felt the additional cost was worth it as I flew in all types of weather some on the margins, which I doubt I would have done in the US.
Just to be able do fly in the UK's changeable weather and the busy airspace of the UK with confidence, has to worth the extra cost.
WF