I don't have any info about the future of the IMC or the new "IR Lite". But my advice would be to go and do the IMC and then use it regularly.
There seems to be two schools of thought on the IMC, one is to keep it up your sleeve and "it will get you out of trouble", the other is that it regularly enables you to fly in poorer conditions. I'm afraid that not using it regulalry WILL get you into trouble. I use my IMC as much as possible. You have to keep current otherwise in twelve months time when it turns a bit horrible, if you are not crisp, that's when the trouble starts.
Secondly, take Cardiff for example, it has numerous VFR routes in and out. Strangley they aim you straight at some very large TV masts but they expect you to be as low as possible. Going to new airfields for the first time, its not always easy to locate all these VFR reporting points. Programming them all into your GPS is an option, but takes a long time. Why not get the IMC and ask for radar vectors to the ILS? This is all done at a very safe height and once under radar control, they line you up with the runway, couldn't be simpler.
Go and do it, you wont regret it.