I join the "cleared ILS" army here (or even "cleared approach" which we sometimes get up north in Norway when there's no other traffic). However a clearance to descend on the glideslope and track the localiser without an expressed approach clearance, I've never heard of. But then again I don't fly in England...
As for getting localiser and glideslope capture above a cleared altitude; I don't quite see the the problem of simply following the GS to the cleared altitude. You are still descending according to clearance unless told to expedite, right?