I've flown IFR many times from the Channel Islands and neighbouring France (Dinard, Deauville, La Rochelle) into the UK and never been booted out of controlled airspace, always a handover to London Control who then fret how they are going to descend me from FL100/110/120 into Fairoaks past the LHR and LGW holds but always offer full IFR control until descent and handover to Farnborough to leave controlled airspace.