G-DAVE
Many (even most) UK CJ operators I know prefer you to be rated - and would rather not have to fund your rating. Of course, if they are also a TRTO, you may be able to do a deal with them. Their margins are tight so who can blame them.
This sort of thing has been happening for years it is just much more common now. My old MCC instructor paid for a 757 rating way back in 1995 as he was stuck on a Shorts 360 and all he had was turboprop experience. People will always want to give themselves the best chance of employment, that's natural. More to the point I think it is here to stay so I reckon we'll need to adapt to it!