Physics or Engineering Degree?

Unless you specifically want to work as an engineer, there's no particular benefit to doing engineering over physics at degree level. If you want to potentially pursue a PhD and academia in physics then physics is obviously the more relevany and better choice.

How much of an issue do you think it really is to find a job based around physics after uni(assuming you end up with master's/phd)?

Not really much of any "issue". You'd have the same chances with basically any other degree really. Physics does give you some more options by virtue of being a numerate degree, although compared to engineering it's basically all the same jobs minus ones specifically for engineering design.

Ultimately your ability to find a job as a graduate will be dependent on you and what you do to make yourself employable. I know a physics PhD who decided he didn't want to stay in academia and went on to become a data scientist at a multinational insurance company. I know another who worked for quite a few years managing his former supervisors lab because he liked doing the physics work but didn't want to do the academia/publishing side, then went into the private sector to be a data analyst (at an engineering company). I know another who went directly into the private sector into an engineering startup. I also know an MPhys grad who went on to become a software developer.

You'll have plenty of options - but you do need to actively make yourself employable by getting internships during your undergrad and if you do a PhD, need to prepare yourself for applying to the private sector if that's what you want to do. But this is true no matter what degree you do (except medicine).

That's really helpful, thankyou. I think I probably will, if I take physics, try to get a PhD so hopefully that would help. Research would be the best I think now but maybe my opinion will have changed in like 10 years time or however long it takes to complete a PhD

A PhD usually takes 3.5-4 years to complete in the UK. Sometimes a little longer for writing up. So add that to an MPhys and probably like 7.5-8 years.

Of course, the PhD itself isn't at all like an undergrad degree as you aren't going to lectures and taking exams, you're just working usually about 9-5 on a research project and associated bits of work, going to conferences and presenting there, getting papers prepared for publication etc. So it's a very different experience - more like a job than "school".

Yeah of course. Apart from it's a job you have to pay for lol.

The normal goal of PhD applications is to get a FUNDED PhD position. Self funding a PhD in STEM fields I gather carries some stigma with it if you aim you continue into academia. PhD funding is the first competitive funding source of many you would need to apply to as an academic and not securing that may well cast doubt on your ability to attract funding as an academic after you get the PhD, and make it potentially considerably harder to get a postdoc position or early career academic positions I gather.

So generally no, you wouldn't normally be paying for it if your aim is academia- you would be aiming to have it funded (probably by the EPSRC), which covers the full fees foe the PhD and a yearly tax free stipend. Granted the stipend is often fairly modest relative to costs of living but you would still be getting paid to do it, not the other way around (also it's worth keeping in mind the value of not paying tax on it - although the increases in personal allowance over the last few years have narrowed that gap).

Oh, I didn't actually know this, thank you. I knew that one normally gets grants for PhDs, but I didn't know to this extent, which is nice.