Rob
I'm not trying to deter people from answering your questions - far from it. But you'll find a lot of the information you need if you do a 'Search' of previous topics on this forum. People often miss it - look at the top line where there are a list of links starting with 'user cp'.
As Paco says, it's one of the FAQs.
Probably the most frequently asked question.
In a nutshell, the advice most commonly given on this forum is -
Obtaining your professional licence and building enough hours to get a job costs a fortune - consider the military route where you'll get outstanding training all paid for. It's not easy to get in because the competition and standards required are very high, but most things in life worth doing involve a challenge.
Sponsorship in the civvy world for your basic licence is virtually non-existent.
The pay isn't as good as flying a 747 for BA, but the enjoyment and freedom of being a professional helicopter pilot makes up for a lot.
Hit the 'Search' button and see how you get on.
Good Luck.