While there have been some good points made here about the absolute importance of remaining VMC in poor weather and going lower and slower to ensure this, some comments do worry me.
GulliBell, you've obviously got loads of experience but there is no way non IR pilots, especially those with far fewer hours than you, should be encouraged to do as you promote:
"there comes a point where I say bugger this and climb up into it, to a height where I know I'm not going to hit anything. It's a horrible choice but I'd rather be in the gloop at a safe height in a VFR helicopter, rather than risk flying into the ground or an unseen obstacle, burning up fuel with nowhere else to go."
I do appreciate you said earlier that this applied to when you could not land, perhaps being over forest/ mountainous terrain etc, but the decision to carry on in poor weather must take where to land in hurry into account. Flying VFR you just should not get yourself into a situation where you cannot land if it deteriorates further. That must always be an option. Frankly it should always be there for engine failure anyway, if you are not going to endanger life, assuming you have pax, though do agree it's a relatively minimal risk.
It really must be understood that going IMC puts a whole new complexion on the flight. An intended IFR flight is planned knowing that you have known diversion (if not always accurate destination) weather and diversion fuel, all charts, approach plates, MSA, en route weather, freezing level, fully serviceable IFR aircraft etc. The chances are few if any of that will be known as you suddenly decide on impulse to climb into IMC.
In a VFR machine, pilot stress loads are going to be pretty high going IMC and even assuming that control is no problem (which it may well be sooner or later) trying to work out where you are going to let down safely is going to be a major challenge and require a level of discipline that may well not exist. If the weather is bad enough to make you think about punching up, it's likely to be bad enough that letting down is hardly going to have you VMC at 1000ft.
There is a world of difference to being IFR in IMC and committed to being so until you can safely get VMC, and to being VFR when you can put it on the ground literally the minute to wish to.