Consider coming down here to South Africa if you want an instructor's job. We are nearly always short and there' s the game industry if you want to scare yourself now and then.
The airforce has about three pound fifty budget for this year so you don't have to worry too much about competition for a job.
It's pretty cheap to get your licence too although possibly better to get an FAA/UK licence first and transfer.
R22s are about R 2000 an hour here - less than 200 quid and hour and it's relatively cheap to live.
Not much going at the top end unless you join CHC and go fly in Africa but don't know what your end goal is...You could always get some hours and then go back to Europe if you wanted (although I don't think I ever would).
(36 year old 2000 hour ATP; also former Project Manager in UK)