Mark C, don't listen to Torque 2n et al, they are just all gloom mongers.
Pop down to your local flying club and talk to one of the instructors. Within a month you will have a PPL costing about £2k. Immediately start your hour building and night rating while studying the ATPL theory, £6k should see you through that and take about a month. Next is the hard bit but I found it quite easy the CPL, multi IR. Costs about £5k and another 2 weeks total should do it, then straight into the MCC (£500+ 3days).
Blue book in hand you now do the type rating (paid for by the company, 10days) followed by the line training and 6 landings (4 days), then its off to head office for the uniform and away you go. All in all if you really want to fly a jet it's about £12k and 3months. Now what is difficlt about that? As I say don't listen to all these doom and gloom mongers, they just don't know what they are talking about. (And P.S. don't forget the huge salary and all the paid holidays you get).