I never understand why people keep banging on about adding lost earnings into the equation. Why bother? If you haven't got them, you haven't lost them. You will be training for a career you want to do so it's not a problem. Saying a £40,000 ATPL course will actually 'effectively' cost you £60,000 because of loss of earnings is bloody stupid.
It's like saying taking time out the day to buy your lunch means loss of earnings so your lunch effectively costs you 50 pence more. If you don't want 'loss of earnings' go and do something else.
Kezza, like Jockflyer says, I'm one of the ones who hasn't been through the mill (I will do V. soon) but I agree, £25,000 will probably get you about 3/5ths through the ATPL course. People keep banding around increasingly riculous figures for ATPL training - the best bet is to contact the schools and find out exactly what they offer for the money and compare them.
Best of luck.