Having just returned from getting my IR in the USA, the apparently pre-historic state of GA IFR in the UK seems appalling from what is being said here...I don't think we had a single flight where a full radar service was not given, and an IFR flightplan is mandatory when any CAS is involved and is instantly accessible to all units, who give you handovers along the whole route.
UK IFR is starting to sound a very black art...are there any decent books that talk about UK/EU IFR for small planes?