You didn't say how much you weigh.
I would not buy a bike with disk brakes if your over 210 pounds because disk brake wheels are actually weaker than the same rim brake wheel because the disc pushes the hub flange on that side closer to the center of the dropouts which in turns creates less bracing angle for the spokes on that side which means reduced lateral strength. Compound that problem on the rear because the cassette by itself pushes the hub flange AND the disk brake on the other side is also doing the same thing which means the rear wheel has even less lateral strength then the front wheel.
So no to disk brakes if your over 210 pounds. And yes to bikes with at least 32 spokes. I would be looking at adventure type of bikes intended for touring. In the UK you should be able to find a Ridgeback Voyage touring bike for around £770, it's cromoly steel so it's very strong, along with 36 spokes frt and rear, this is a drop bar bike that comes with a touring rack so when commuting you can put panniers on the rear where you can put a change of clothes, shoes, etc right on the bike.
Another bike is the Kona Tonk, for about the same price as the Ridgeback, has pretty much the same equipment except no pannier rack but it does have provisions for one to be put on.
Another is the Pinnacle Laterite 3 which cost about £70 less than the above two, it's made of aluminum instead of steel which typically steel will give you a better ride especially as the miles wear by but AL is lighter, and because it's AL it's cheaper to make the frame so the bike comes with the better Shimano 105 components. This bike does come with rear rack mounts like the above two but the rack does not come with the bike.
And check out the Fuji Touring bike, steel frame, same basic specs as the first two bikes, comes with a rear rack too for £600.
The last one is the Dawes Galaxy Excel 631, made of Reynolds 631 steel. which is a great tubeset for long riding; this one does cost about £300 MORE than your budget but it's a sweet bike and a sweet deal. Comes with rear rack and frt and rear fenders in case you find yourself riding to and/or from home in the rain you won't have as messy of a bike to clean when you get home, and you won't have the famous rooster tail spray up your entire back. If you can squeeze the budget that is a great bike that will look classy and last a very long time.
Since you will be commuting do you have a place where you can park it and it will be protected from theft? either way you will probably need a good lock so figure on spending no less than 5% of the value of the bike for a lock. You also need to budget for a helmet, bright front with at least 650 lumens, and a rear tail light with at least 70 lumens. For extra safety consider buying a nerdy neon green vest with wide bands of reflective material in it, these can usually be found at home improvement places for under £20. Consider a pair of highly reflective ankle straps, the up and down motion as you pedal and the car lights reflect back to the driver have been very effective in studies. Later as you get some money you should consider buying a second tail light and attach it to your helmet; or get a brighter tail light then the first one, use the brighter one for your main and the old one for your helmet; more tail lights are more eye catching than just one. You may want the bike shop to install (if you think you can't do it yourself, though they are easy to install) a set of tire liners to protect against flats better so you don't find yourself stopping to fix flats. Lastly make sure you know how to fix flats and have the right tools, extra tube, and a patch kit to do so on the side of the road, even with flat liners you can still get flats, so learn how to fix flats by watch You Tube videos. Speaking of flats you should leave for work about 30 minutes sooner than you really need to, this will give you time in case you do have a flat to fix it and get on to work; most bosses don't like their workers commuting to work via bike because of exposure to accidents is higher, and more frequent breakdowns cause more tardiness, and eventually they will have had enough and either fire you or demand you no longer ride the bike in. On the subject of flats get a good pump, most cheap ones won't even get close to their advertised PSI limit, most are lucky to get to 75, but if your bike doesn't require more than 75 psi then that's great but cheaper ones will still take more effort and could even break while using. Once you see what is available for pumps in your area post back the brands and models and let us here help you select a decent one.
With your new bike make sure you maintain it better than just well! a better maintained bike will not only last longer but mechanical breakdowns will be rarer. If you find yourself riding in rain when you get home you need to clean the chain and relube it. There is some work to commuting with a bike but it is worth it in saving the cost of fuel, and the very important saving your body.
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