But the PPL (h) is the UNAVOIDABLE stepping stone to a commercial licence.
Ormond beach aviation are ELC registered, and have had a number of ex forces personell train there under the ELC system.
Don't forget most of the armed forces ( I'm RAF) , and a lot of other proffesional bodies get membership of the enhanced learning credit system, and as such up to a £2000 grant towards thier proffesional development, and as such a PPL ( A or H) becomes eligable for funding via this route as it HAS to be done before any other licence .
Might be worth looking at becoming ELC registered for a UK school, as it would enable a lot of people to take a big chunk of cash off thier PPL (h) training
.... I'm sure if people make enough fuss about it they would HAVE to fund it, as a PPL still falls up with a level 3 qualification in the quals framework