If you could take say TWO weeks off work, you could go to the States and get an FAA IR.
The CAA will then GIVE you an IMC rating (I say give, but you still have to pay them their £80) on the basis of your FAA IR.
By doing it this way, you get your IMC rating but you also get full IR privileges in an 'N' reg aeroplane.
Probably only works out a little bit more expensive too.