You can still get decent bike lower down the range. I think £250 is about the lowest for a bike you ride hard every day.
First step: Check out the brands at a few big stores (Evans, Wheelies, Halfords etc) , go to the websites and check out the geometry charts of their hybrids and pick brands that do big, long bikes.
Rackability is important for any everyday bike. You dont have to fit a rack but when time comes to haul a load or go on a bike tour it is so much easier to bolt on a stnd rack than faff around with seatpost clamp-on units or p-clamp hack-arounds.