bookworm,
sorry to disagree, but the freezing level in the UK IS low enough to cause problems. When I did my IMC we did it late Autumn through early winter with most approaches into Cambridge and there were a number of days when I suffered severe airframe icing.
Don't be fooled by the freezing level you see on the metforms. I have had ice form at 1500ft above the flatlands.
Doing IR training was actually a lot better as we were above the freezing level most of the time.